Lily Joy revised
by Alex Beckett
Summary: What happens when you get a visit from Meredith, and she has a surprise with her? What happens when you throw in a stressed out Alexis and her family into the mix? Read on to find out!
1. Introducing Lily Joy

**DISCLAIMER: ***sighs* Y'all know the drill: I own nothing except from anyone you don't recognize. And I won't be making any money off this because everything belongs to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **The idea for this story came to me after the episode in season one that started out with Castle and Meredith in bed together.

**MARCH 2012**

"Rick?" I said cautiously. He was sitting on the edge of our bed, shocked by the news I had just given him. "Please say something. I know this is unexpected, especially since we've only been together for just over a year now, but I _really _want you to be h—"

My words were interrupted by Castle as he leapt off the bed and held me close, all while planting a very passionate kiss on my lips. When we pulled apart, I was feeling slightly dizzy because of the lack of oxygen, but when I saw the look of delight on his face made me dizzy with joy.

"Really, Kate?" he asked breathlessly. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes, my love." I answered happily. "Almost three months."

Resting his hand on the small of my back, Castle got down on his knees so that he was level with my belly. I held up my shirt with my free hand and ran the other hand through Castle's hair as he began to talk to our child.

"Hey, in there, Little One. I'm your daddy and I can't _wait_ to meet you, and I'm always going to love you, no matter how your life turns out." Castle kissed my belly and stroked it gently before looking up at me. I chuckled at the twinkle I saw in his eyes before he returned his attention to the baby. "I'm going to love you and teach you right from wrong, but I'm also going to make sure that Aunt Lanie, Aunt Jenny, Uncle Esposito and Uncle Ryan will teach you lots of silly things when your mommy isn't looking…especially since we found out last week from your aunties that you're going to have cousins to play with." He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial tone, pretending that I couldn't hear the words that he spoke next. "Your mommy is an extraordinary lady, and I know she loves you with all of her heart. She can't wait to meet you, either, and I know your big sister and your grandmother will be the same way. But don't worry about that right now. All that matters right now is that you're loved _already_ loved, and that everyone in this crazy family of ours will welcome you with open arms."

Castle pried my shirt from my grasp and smoothed the wrinkles out. Standing up, he kissed me on the forehead and pulled me into a warm hug.

"I love you, KB." He murmured into my hair. "I love you _so_ much."

"I love you, too." I whispered back, leaning my head on his shoulder. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

The three of us—Castle, the baby and I—stood in the middle of the bedroom as the whole universe just melted away. We were in what one would call a blissful silence.

A sudden voice floated through said silence from downstairs.

"Hello, up there! Richard? Kate? Alexis? I know one of you is home!"

Castle and I exchanged amused glances with each other.

"Mother is home." He informed me. "She _would_ interrupt something like this…"

I extracted myself from his grasp and looked into his eyes. "Should we go tell her that her second grandchild will be making their world debut in the fall some time?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me."

I took his hand in mine and smiled as our fingers interlaced. We left the room and descended down the stairs to the kitchen where Martha was at the island, bustling about and humming to herself as she arranged four champagne flutes on a tray. She smiled broadly when she saw us and began to pour from a bottle of what looked like sparkling cider.

"What's all this, then, mother?" Castle wanted to know. "What outrageous thing have you done this time?"

"Come on, Rick." I laughed. "Why would it be bad if she's pulling out champagne flutes and cider?"

Martha stopped pouring. "Bless your heart for defending me to my own son, kiddo." She looked at me curiously and I realized that the wheels in her head were turning quickly. Castle got that same look whenever he went theory-spinning during a case. "You two look awfully happy about something. Never mind what I was going to say…"

I looked up at Castle for permission, and he nodded. I turned back to Martha.

"Well, Martha, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so maybe this will do."

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled a sonogram print out that I had pocketed earlier and slid it across the counter. Martha picked it up and smiled happily when she realized what she was looking at. Quickly putting the picture down, she came around the island and swept me into one of her special hugs that she knew I cherished.

"Congratulations, Kate." We pulled apart and she held me at arm's length with her hands in mine. "Let me look at you."

"Words really can't describe how happy I am right now."

"I know exactly what you mean." Martha squeezed my hands gently. "Your father is going to be so excited when he finds out, won't he?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he's going to be _very _excited when he finds out his first grandchild is on the way. And my mom would've been _over the moon_ about it…" I rubbed my eyes to keep from crying. "Mom's never going to see any of her grandchildren, and it would've meant so much to her, especially considering that I'm her miracle baby."

She pulled me into another hug. "It's okay to cry."

"I'm her miracle baby." I repeated. "Mom lost two babies before me and one after me, and now she's never going to meet _my_ miracle. I'm so happy that I'm going to be a mom, but I also feel really, really lost right now."

I stepped back, and Martha lovingly wiped my tears away.

"You most certainly _are_ a miracle, darling. Your children—present and future—are, too." The older woman's voice was full of the affection of a mother's love. "After all that you've been through in your life, you are nothing _less_ than a miracle." She briefly touched a hand to my belly. "Richard calls you extraordinary, and he's right to use that word because it's the truth, but you know what else?"

"What?"

"Your child will be extraordinary just like you are, _because_ you are the blessed one's mother. Your mother's legacy lives on through you, so I'm quite sure that it will be passed down." She tilted her head to the side and got a far away look in her eyes, as if thinking carefully about her next words, and not for the first time, I wondered if Martha's past had ever crossed with my mother's. "Johanna, wherever she may be, is looking down on her miracle with lots of love and pride."

"Pride?" I echoed. I understood the love part, but where did the pride part come in?

Martha nodded. "Yes. Every mother is filled with pride as soon as they find out that one of their children is about to become a parent, and it doesn't matter if it's the first time or the second, because the pride never goes away." She sighed happily. "I know _I'm _proud of you."

She gave me one last hug before moving on to congratulate Castle. I sat down on one of the bar stools, feeling a little overwhelmed by all of the love. (I did decide that it was the pregnancy hormones that made me feel that way) One of the things I loved most about Martha is that she's never tried to replace my mother, but she always knows exactly what to say to make me feel loved.

"Kate?"

"Kate!"

"KATE!"

I snapped out of my reverie to find Castle looking at me.

"Sorry." I apologized. "What was the question?"

"I asked if you've seen Alexis since this morning."

My heart sank as I thought of the girl I loved as my own. She had been in a really bad mood this morning and left without saying where she was going.

"No, I haven't seen her." I answered. "She sent me a text a little while ago, and said that she's okay, but she didn't say where she was or what she was doing."

He sighed. "Well, I hope she lightens up soon. I need the old Alexis back."

"So do I, Castle." I agreed. "So do I."

Just this past fall, Alexis left home to go to school at Oxford University in England. She'd been happy to go at first, but then she was heartbroken to find out that her boyfriend, Ashley, didn't make it in, even though they had applied on the same day. After a long talk, they decided that education was more important and that things would be better if they were just friends, so they broke up.

Things were going good for Alexis at school for awhile, especially since she kept in regular contact with Ashley, but a month hadn't even gone by before we started noticing unsettling changes in her behavior and appearance during our Skype sessions. Alexis dismissed it as being homesick, but the detective in me knew that she was lying to us. Alexis was _depressed._

And then, two days ago, she came home for Spring Break, but threw us for a loop when she announced that she had withdrawn from Oxford and wouldn't be returning. In atypical Alexis fashion, she refused to tell us why. Whenever we _do_ try to get close to her, she freaks out and either shuts down or runs away to her room to play her violin.

Martha looked down at her watch.

"Well, it's almost dinnertime." She noted. "Alexis _is_ her father's daughter, so that means we don't have too long to worry about when she comes home."

"I can't argue with you on that one." I rubbed my belly to calm the baby down. It kept doing lots of little flips, and it made me uneasy. "Dinnertime is like a homing beacon for that kid, especially since she's been eating everything in sight since she got back…"

Realizing what I said, I stopped to think as the detective part of my brain engaged itself again.

First Alexis has frightening mood swings and is completely closed off, and now she's eating everything in sight…?

Oh, my God…

Is Alexis…_pregnant…?_

Nah…

She's only _nineteen!_ She couldn't be.

Not _our _Alexis…

A ringtone sounded from Castle's phone, causing me to look up. I watched as he picked up his phone and watched him read a text before turning back to Martha and me.

"It's from Alexis." He had a puzzled look on his face. "She wants to know if we have peanut butter and _marshmallow fluff…?__"_

We didn't have a chance to process his words properly because the front door banged open. Turning towards it, we saw Hurricane Alexis herself blow in. She was in her own little world as she put her things away, and she looked even more lost than we saw her this morning.

The poor thing was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice us until she pushed her sunglasses back into her long red hair and gasped at the sight of her face. Her eyes were red and watery, indicating that she had been crying up a storm recently.

Martha busied herself with making a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich, knowing full well we had all of the ingredients on hand because I had bought them last week.

Alexis saw her father and me and ran to us. Castle caught her in his arms and I hugged them both.

"Hey, Pumpkin." Castle kissed the top of his daughter's head. "What's wrong? We can make it better."

"No, you can't!" Her voice was muffled as she buried her face in her father's shoulder. "There is _nothing_ that can make this better!"

"Lex," I stroked her hair and she looked up at me. "Will you at least sit down at the table and tell us about it?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when her stomach growled loudly.

"All right," she sat down at the table and we joined her. "But I was serious about the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff."

"Right here, darling." Martha came over and placed a plate of her granddaughter's cravings (and a glass of milk) in front of her.

"Do you want to talk now?" Castle asked gently.

"Not now." She replied as she regarded us with the same look Martha had given us right before we told her about the baby. "Besides, I think there's something that you want to say." She began to eat her sandwich without another word.

She had obviously picked up on the fact that there was something that we knew that she didn't. It didn't help matters that she was completely on edge about something else.

I spoke to Alexis tentatively. "Sweetie, how do you feel about being a big sister?"

Alexis blinked in surprise and swallowed what she was chewing before pushing her plate back. She reached for her battered notebook next to her on the table, the one that she hasn't been without since her return, and flipped to a specific page before holding it close to her chest.

"Honestly, Kate?" her voice was scratchy from her tears. "I swear I'm thrilled to pieces." She attempted a weak smile. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister."

"Then why are you acting like this?" I asked. "I understand that you've had your father to yourself for nearly twenty years, but if it's about sharing—"

Alexis held up a hand and shook her head. "It's not the sharing thing. I can do that, no problem." She gave the notebook to Castle. "It's just that your timing isn't the best."

When Castle passed me the notebook, my eyes immediately widened at was on the page. Below a long passage of Alexis' beautiful Palmer cursive, there was a sonogram printout with a very visible view of a fetus. Squinting at the fine print, I saw that while Alexis' name was listed as the mother, the father was listed as unknown. I passed the notebook to Martha.

Castle stated the obvious, but was very surprised. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes." Alexis answered boldly. "I'm almost three months along."

"Same as me…" I mused.

Martha, who had the notebook now, looked at her granddaughter carefully.

"The name of your child's father isn't listed here, Alexis. Is there a reason for that?"

"Yes." She repeated, but this time her voice was hardened and her fingers trailed over the bulge housing her unborn child. "He is _not_ a good man, and I'm glad he won't be around." Her "I'm so in love with this child, and I'll do _anything_ for it, even if that means keeping the identity of the father a secret forever."

Martha chose not to say anything because we knew that she was remembering back to her own pregnancy. She got up and poured herself a drink and offered Alexis her congratulations. Castle and I did the same on the last part, but when all was said and done, a new thought popped into my head.

I turned to Alexis. "Ashley doesn't know about the baby yet, does he?"

"No. He doesn't even know I'm back." Tears were still falling down her face and she wiped them away. "I just have _no_ idea how I'm supposed to tell the one I love that I'm pregnant with another man's baby. It's going to be one of the hardest things I've _ever_ had to do in my life."

A few hours later, when Alexis was more subdued, we were all relaxing. Martha was dancing at the piano while Castle played for her while Alexis and I sat on the couch, listening. I took note of how my young companion's hands were placed protectively on her belly.

"Kate," she spoke suddenly. "Telling you and dad and Gram about the baby was hard, but telling my _mom_ is going to be a _nightmare_."

"What makes you say that?" Alexis' relationship with her biological mother, Meredith Adams, once known as Meredith Castle, is strained, at best. "'Nightmare' is a strong word."

"Because she had me when she was twenty, and was apparently exiled from her family during the pregnancy." Alexis burrowed into my side and pulled the blanket she was using a little tighter over herself. "She's told me lots of things over the years, but there was always one thing that stuck with me the most." 

"What was it?"

"She promised to make my life hell if I came to her and told her that I was pregnant at age twenty or before that."

I pressed a kiss to her temple and spoke in the most reassuring voice possible. "Just remember that _I'm_ the one with the gun. I promise not to let her borrow it if she wants to try anything later."

A real smile appeared on her face for the first time all day. "That makes me feel a lot better."

"I'm glad to hear that." I smiled back. "I would do anything for you, Alexis. I mean that."

_Alexis' Point of View_

I nodded in agreement with her words, just as my phone vibrated, signaling that I had a new text. Opening the message, I paled when I saw who it was from.

Kate noticed and put her hand on my arm. "What's wrong?"

I read aloud from the text. _"'Hi, boo. It's your mother, and I'm just about to arrive at your door. I thought I should warn you so you don't have too much of a shock. See you in a second!'"_

Kate's eyes widened in shock and she got off the couch to warn the others. I rose from my spot on the couch, dreading the fact that my nightmare that I had just spoken of us probably about to come true as soon as the doorbell rang. It rang two seconds later and I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before opening it.

My mother was standing there, dressed in a very expensive outfit and she had one of her usual fake smiles plastered on her face. Something was different about her this time because in one hand, she was holding the handle of a nondescript suitcase. The other hand was struggling to hold onto the hand of a very fidgety toddler girl who couldn'tve been more than three. She was very unhappy and squawking nonstop at mom to let go of her.

To say that I was shocked by the sudden appearance of my mother was nothing, but to say that I was shocked by the appearance of a little girl who looked like a mini carbon copy of me at age three was a huge understatement…

"Well," my mother spoke in an all-too-happy voice. "Don't just stand there! Let us in!"

I quickly moved aside to let them enter. Dad, Kate and Gram were assembled in the living room, all wearing similar expressions of shock. They regarded her with lots of apprehension, but when they looked at the little girl, they regarded her with curiosity and fascination, and I completely understood why: they saw her resemblance to me, too. Yanking herself free of mom's hand, she bolted off for the nearest safe spot: under the piano.

"What's going on, Meredith?" Dad asked mom. "Who is that little girl who ran under the piano just now? Is she your daughter?"

"She has to be." I theorized aloud as I put the pieces together. "That would also make her my sister…"

"Is she mine?" Dad blurted. _"Is_ she?"

A lost memory suddenly resurfaced I began to panic. A gentle touch from Kate calmed me down. She was going to say something, but thought better of it as I marched straight up to my mom, who flinched automatically. A little known fact is that she's scared of me when I get mad because I inherited her Irish temper, so they're evenly matched.

I crossed my arms and spoke in a dangerously quiet voice. "You're going to leave her here, aren't you?"

"Alexis…" Fear had seeped into my mother's voice.

"Yes," I nodded, gathering a better grasp on things as the pieces fell into place. "You're going to leave her here, just like you walked out on dad and me sixteen years ago! You decided that your precious _career,_ more important than your family! You slept with your producer and betrayed us!" I didn't even try to hide the scorn in my voice because it felt good to finally be standing up to her. "Why didn't you want us? Why didn't you want _me?_ What did _I_ ever _do_ to you?" I glanced over at my sister who was still cowering under the piano. "What did _she_ ever do to you?"

Not waiting for an answer, I turned away from the others and went over to the piano. Crouching down, I took a closer look at my sister's whole appearance. There was no question that she wasn't completely neglected because was clean, clothed and didn't look underweight. She was dressed in a bright blue sundress and little white sandals were on her feet. Her long red hair was tied up in pigtails, making me have flashbacks to my own childhood. There was even a splash of red freckles across the bridge of her nose. I shivered when I looked into her eyes because they were full of tears, _and_ it was like looking into my own eyes.

"Hey, precious." I reached out to her and she didn't shrink back. "My name is Alexis. What's yours?"

"L-Lily Joy Stana Adams." She hiccupped. "You can call me LJ."

"Okay, I'll call you LJ." I agreed. "How old are you?"

"Three." She answered as she held up four fingers.

"Close enough."

LJ edged closer to me. "Are you my sister?"

"I think so."

She nodded, processing my words. "That's good, because I like you."

"Would you like me to hold you?"

My little sister nodded eagerly and ran into my arms as quickly as she could. I stood and shifter her weight onto my hip so I could move around easier. It was a good sign that she had opened up to me so quickly, but I was still worried that her legs were wrapped so tightly around my waist and that her little hands were fisted in the cloth of my shirt for support. LJ's whole body was shaking because of the fear obviously instilled by our mother. My pregnancy hormones made things slightly worse as I did everything I could not to cry about the situation. I understood my sister better than anybody else right now, so I had to be strong for her.

I went back to the living room and sat down on the couch next to Kate and Gram, thankful that mom and dad had moved into the study and that the door was shut. LJ snuggled closer to me as I pulled the blanket over her, and turned to look at the other two.

"Who is you two?" She obviously had dad's natural curiosity.

Kate pointed to herself. "My name is Kate, but you may call me 'Katie' if you want to."

"Katie…" she tried the name out before turning to Gram expectantly.

"You can call me Gram. Alexis does."

"You two is both _really_ pretty." LJ informed them as she sat up and pointed to herself. She had dad's charm, too, because both women smiled fondly at her. "Please to call me LJ. I'm three."

LJ lay back down against my chest and stuck her thumb in her mouth. I hoped that she'd relax, but that wasn't going to happen because her body language let me know that she was literally scared stiff of the situation. There was obviously no way we were getting anything else out of her because she was behaving exactly how I did sixteen years ago: confused and broken.

_Kate's Point of View_

I looked at Alexis and LJ, and saw how cozy they seemed cuddled up together even though they'd met for the first time less than twenty minutes ago. It was probably Alexis' pregnancy hormones that causing her to be more maternal than she usually is, but that didn't stop my own pregnancy hormones from making my own heart twist up when Alexis began to sing softly to the little girl in her arms. They seemed to be drawn to each other, and now that I saw just how deeply Meredith affected both of her daughters, Alexis' outburst toward her made me wonder about her past…

Martha leaned over to me.

"What are you thinking about, Kate?"

I tore my gaze around from the girls and looked at her. "I'm curious about Alexis' past. I can almost see a dark cloud over her head. And look her now…she's completely zoned out."

It was true. Even though Alexis and LJ were at the other end of the couch, the older girl was lost to the world for now.

"Hasn't Richard ever told you about what happened when Meredith left sixteen years ago?"

"No." I answered honestly. "I never asked."

"Well… I think it's about time you should know."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes." She nodded. "And I was going to tell you sooner or later because you're family now, anyway."

"I'm listening…"

"There's a dark cloud over Alexis' head because Meredith walked out on them when Alexis was three, and she remembers it like yesterday… and she went into shock and wouldn't talk at all. We tried bribing her with all sorts of things…"

"What made her start talking again?"

"I had a violin concert playing on the TV, and she came over and asked me as plain as day to turn up the volume because she wanted to know what that beautiful sound was. Alexis sat on my lap for the rest of the concert, completely transfixed by the sound of the violin."

"Wow…" I marveled. "How long was she quiet for?"

"Two solid months." My mouth dropped open slightly. "I bought her a violin the day after that and Richard started her on violin lessons two days later, and she's been a different girl ever since… But now, with arrival of her mother and sister, Alexis is afraid of history repeating itself. Things are different this time around because she's pregnant _and_ she has a sibling to protect."

"That's true…" I agreed.

"And knowing Alexis, she's going to worry more than you are about bringing a child into a family as odd as ours."

I rested a hand on my belly and looked from Alexis and LJ over to the study where Meredith and Castle's voices could be heard from behind the closed door.

"Well, I hope for the sake of everybody in this room that Rick and Meredith sort themselves out soon. We _need_ a happy ending."

_Castle's Point of View_

"What the hell is wrong with you, Meredith?" I demanded. "Why are you letting the cycle repeat itself?"

"It's happening because I _never _wanted to _be_ a mother!" She fired back. "I _didn't_ want to become a mother _twice, _much less _once!_ I only did it for you, Rick!"

I was suddenly taken aback by her words. They felt like a punch to the gut.

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"Nineteen years ago, in the aftermath of making Alexis and finding out she was on the way, I realized that I didn't want her at all. Having a child, _especially _when I was twenty, was a _big deal._ Yes, I was concerned about my career, but I was also worried about what my parents were going to say because I knew they were going to freak out. My mom adored me—her _only_ daughter—and I was my daddy's girl." I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her because like always, Meredith was making everything about her. "Mom told me to never come home again, and she couldn't even look me in the eyes when she said it because she was so ashamed of me. My dad told me I was dead to him and cut off my trust fund, and I lost a lot of things in the process. I had to start my already lousy career over from scratch, and I could only stay around the ones who burdened me for so long!"

"I'm sorry," I said sarcastically. "But what does leaving your husband and daughter have to do with 'doing it for me'?"

"Because I never wanted Alexis, but when I told you she was on the way, you were so _happy…_" she explained. "I decided right then and there to keep her, just for you and when I saw you hold her for the first time, I knew that I'd made the right choice. You loved her right away, so I knew that you would be the better parent for her."

"And it took you _three_ years to leave?" I cried. "If you knew from that early on, why didn't you leave sooner?"

"You would've freaked out more because you have a kinder heart than I do. That's why I kept putting things off."

Too stunned for words, I sat at my desk as my first ex-wife watched me from a few feet away. An image of Alexis coaxing her mini carbon copy from underneath the piano floated to the front of my mind. I looked at Meredith and suddenly had to fight the urge from getting _too_ angry at her. She raised an eyebrow at me, anticipating a question.

"Why in the world," I spoke in a tone of controlled calm. "Did you wait _three_ years to tell you that we made another beautiful daughter? Looks alone prove that she's mine, so don't even think about lying!"

"I kept her away from you because you were _happy!_" Meredith stressed. "You have Alexis, a crazy love life, crazy fans, lots of success, more money than God _and_ lots of women. I won't pretend that I didn't know about you and Gina being back together." She shuddered at that thought, but her voice became filled with a little bit of contempt. "You also have that muse of yours…"

"Leave Kate out of this…" I growled defensively. "And so help me God, if you say _one_ more thing about her or Alexis, I will kick your sorry self back to the curb." Standing up, I pinned her against a bookcase by the wrists. So much for keeping my anger under control… "What are you going to do about Lily Joy? She is as lost and confused as Alexis was when you left the first time! _She was hiding under the piano, for Christ's sake!"_

Meredith loosened herself from my grip and ducked out from under my arms.

"I was planning on leaving her here." She said nonchalantly. "It's not like you could say no to her face, especially since it's just like looking at Alexis all over again…"

She was obviously trying to bait me, so I changed the subject.

"Does Lily Joy know that you're going to leave her here?"

"She does." Meredith nodded. "She's also very curious about you."

"Then why—?"

I was cut off as she wandered something aloud.

"But _my_ question is why you're so protective of Kate? Alexis, too…" She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully; something Alexis does when she thinks. "She seems to have put on a little while weight. That's not like her…"

I immediately fell silent. If Meredith found out about Kate and Alexis' pregnancies, _especially_ Alexis', she'd go ballistic on me. That, and it would be ages before Kate and Alexis spoke to me in a civilized tone again.

Unfortunately, Meredith saw right through me.

"Oh, my God!" Her eyes widened in shock as she figured out at least one part of the puzzle. _"Alexis_ is pregnant?"

My ex-wife stormed out of the study before I could catch her.

Terrific.

All hell was about to break out in Girl Land.

_Alexis' Point of View_

The sudden movement of LJ sliding off my body and onto the floor; and a hand yanking me to my feet brought me back down to earth with a loud crash. I found myself face-to-face with mom, and she didn't look too happy.

"What the hell, mom?" I winced in pain from the hold she had on my wrist. "What are you doing? That _hurts!"_

I looked at dad, Gram and Kate, praying that they would help, but they were all too stunned to do anything…or even move. Poor LJ was saddled on Kate's hip and was clinging to her for dear life. She wasn't watching the scene because her face was buried in Kate's hair.

"Are you pregnant? Don't lie to me!"

I tried to fight back since the others were being useless, but mom's grip on my wrist intensified.

"Why are you doing this? I don't like it! Please stop!" I felt as frightened as LJ probably was.

"Answer me, Alexis Katherine!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate's eyebrow quirk at the mention of my middle name.

"Okay!" I yelled. "Yes! Yes, I'm almost three months pregnant. This baby was unplanned, but that doesn't matter!"

Knowing it was hopeless, I tried to fight back, but the sunlight reflected off a diamond ring on my left ring finger that I had kept carefully concealed until now. Mom let go of my wrists but caught my left hand in her hand so she could see what the sunlight was bouncing off of. When she realized that it was an engagement ring, she dropped my hand as if she'd been scalded.

Mom was clearly outraged. "You're pregnant _and_ engaged? YOU'RE ONLY NINETEEN! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!"

I cursed inwardly. In all of my worrying about the baby and coming home from Oxford, I'd forgotten to take off my engagement ring. The baby's father had proposed to me right before I left England, and even at that, it was only because of the baby. I knew things wouldn't work out, so I turned him down. He put the ring on my finger anyway and told me to think about it, saying that I could still change my mind. My family hadn't seen the ring because I was out of the house all day.

"I _was_ engaged." I stressed to her. "But things didn't work out, and I forgot t—"

_SLAP!_

Mom yelled a really bad word and slapped me hard across the face. I crumpled to the floor instantly and began to zone out. I was too surprised by what mom had just done to even cry. LJ slipped out of Kate's arms and ran across the floor, yelling at mom in her three-year-old anger before wiggling herself into my arms and making me hug her. It was only the feeling of my sister in my arms that kept me anchored to reality.

_Kate's Point of View_

Castle, Martha and I came to our senses only after LJ let herself out of my grasp and ran to comfort her big sister. Martha went to hold both of them while Castle and I advanced on Meredith.

"Get out!" Castle yelled at her. "Get out and never, _ever_ come back!"

"I was just giving Alexis what she deserved!" Meredith retorted. "She knew _exactly_ what would happen if I found out what that she was pregnant before she turned twenty. I warned her about exactly what I would do, and I wanted to keep her from making the same mistakes as me!"

Looking at Castle, I saw the look on his face and realized that he was going to see red soon if I didn't intervene. I stepped in between the two of them, hoping that neither one of them would get too violent.

"Meredith, if you want to leave Lily Joy here, I won't stop you." I had to be calm for the sake of everybody else in the room. "We will take full custody of her, if that's what you really want. We can all go about that peacefully, but _nothing_ and I repeat: _nothing_ gives you the right to come in here and hurt Alexis like you did. She's already had a _very_ bad week, and she _doesn't_ need _you_ to mess it up anymore."

She put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here, anyway?" Leave it to Meredith to ignore the topic at hand so she could cause more misery, instead. "Has the muse finally become the author's ultimate conquest?"

Her statement really struck a nerve, especially since Meredith would _know_ that Castle and I have been together for a long time now if she kept up with any news. In an effort not to deck her right there on the spot, I closed my eyes and counted down backward from ten to one.

I opened my eyes. "No, I have not become his _'ultimate conquest. _In fact," I backed up and put an arm around Castle's waist. "I'm his girlfriend now, and we're going to have a baby, too."

For the first time since her arrival, Meredith looked positively thunderstruck, and even a little betrayed. Her tone conveyed her feelings well enough as she glared at Castle.

"How could you do this to me? Kate isn't even famous!"

"Fame isn't everything, Meredith." Castle answered coolly as he pulled me closer to him out of instinct. "In our case, that doesn't matter. It never has. Kate is my soul mate, and I can't believe it took me so long to find her, but I'm so glad I did." He placed a kiss on my temple and I had to struggle to keep myself from turning to putty in his hands. "After everything I've been through in life, I'm more than happy to say that Kate is worth it."

Meredith turned away from us to look at Martha, Alexis and LJ. Since both of her daughters were scared stiff of her, she directed her question to Martha.

"Is it true? Are they together?"

"Well, yes. It's not like they'd ever lie about something as serious as a relationship." Martha looked at Meredith without blinking. "They were bound to each other, long before they realized they were in love."

Meredith looked back at us with a dangerous glint in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but Castle interrupted her.

"I'm going to ask you one more time to leave and never come back, Meredith." He let go of me and led her by the wrist to the front door. Opening it, he pointed to the front hallway. "That's the way out. Kate and I will sort out the adoption ourselves because you've shown us that you're not capable of doing it yourself. When everything is done and finalized, it's going to be a closed adoption because if what happened after last time you walked out on us is any indication, it's going to take LJ years to heal." I knew without looking that LJ was still curled up in her sister's arms. "I don't know if you know this, but you broke Alexis back then, and you're breaking her again right now. It looks like LJ is broken, too, and I'm doing everything I can to keep myself from breaking like I did last time." Castle picked up his ex-wife's purse and handed it to her. "I don't care what you do or where you go after this, but _please:_ stay away from us."

He let her go and she looked at her daughters who were both purposefully ignoring her. When she looked back at us, I saw sadness in her eyes for a few brief seconds.

Before leaving, she whispered a single word.

"Bye."

Once the door was shut, Castle leaned against the door and slumped to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest. The sobs that he could no longer contain erupted from his body. I was slightly taken aback because it was the first time I'd ever seen him cry. Trying to be the stronger one, I dropped down onto the floor beside him and took him in my arms.

"It's okay, Rick." I cooed softly. "She's gone, and she's never coming back, so you don't have to worry, my love. It's all over, and I'm here for you now." I touched my forehead to his. "I love you, and so does your mother, and do Alexis and LJ. You are so incredibly blessed, and it gives me joy to be part of your life." I put one of his hands on my belly and held there. This baby is going to love you, too. Our whole family is bound together by love, and as odd as we may be, _love_ is the glue that holds us all together, and it always will be."

Castle pulled me into his lap and held me close.

"I love you, Kate." He murmured in a calm voice. "Always."

"Right back at you." I ran my fingers through his hair. "I am _so_ sorry that Meredith hurt you and the girls, but _I'm_ here now, and I promise to always, _always_ fix all three of you. _We're_ a family now, and I could _never_ hurt any of you." Especially since I had once thought that I had missed my chance to even have a family to begin with…

Castle's voice was raspy from his sobs, but his words made my heart fill up with even more love for him than before.

"You are an extraordinary woman, Katherine Beckett, but that's only _one_ way to describe who you are. I have no idea what I did to deserve a treasure like you."

Tears of happiness were running down my face as I gave him a passionate kiss on the lips, and my voice was reduced to a whisper.

"Then don't think about it, Rick. Just know that I am always yours."

A new voice joined the conversation and we saw Lily Joy standing there.

"Mama?"

My heart leapt in surprise and joy at what she said.

"What did you just call me, baby girl?" I asked breathlessly.

"LJ just called her Katie 'mama'." She smiled a smile that I recognized as her dad's. "Please to sit in your lap?"

"Of course you may, my darling Lily Joy."

LJ's smile broadened into a grin as I scooped her into my lap. The precious child gave me the biggest smile she could manage before standing up and to wipe Castle's tears and kiss him on the cheek. She took his face in her little hands and directed it so that they were looking at each other face-to-face. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as LJ spoke.

"I love you, daddy. Everything is going to be okay now."

_Done_


	2. Interlude

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't know how many times I have to say it. I own nothing.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout outs of love to everyone who had something nice to say,and an extra special shout out to **Writer200. **Bless your hearts! This chapter and all the rest afterward, are for all of you.

**P.S.:** My computer is severely allergic to editing, so I'm not sure if the if the first chapter's title is displayed. It should read **CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCING LILY JOY.** Just remember that I'm the new kid on the block when it comes to publishing, so I'm still getting the hang of things.

**CHAPTER 2: INTERLUDE**

_Kate's Point of View_

After Castle, LJ and I had been sitting together on the floor for a few minutes, a soft snoring noise could be heard. LJ was sound asleep in my arms, exhausted by everything that had just had just happened. Sleeping was probably the only way her little three-year-old self knew how to recuperate. There was no doubt about it that her world had been turned on its head, and she was letting me know by clinging tightly to my shirt, even in her sleep. (It was funny because she didn't know about either of the babies just yet, but the way she was pressed up against my stomach made it look like she was guarding the baby) The fact that she had fallen asleep so easily made me wonder why she was so quick to trust me—especially when I was in Castle's lap—and her mother had been downright mean to her, making the first three years of her life very miserable.

I just promised Castle that I'd always be there to fix him and his family, and I'm going to stand by that. Helping them recover from the path of destruction Meredith had just left behind wasn't going to be easy, but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to try. Martha is very hard to read, and doesn't seem to be affected by it, anyway, but I knew I'd have better luck with Castle because he's an adult. It might be a little bit easier with Alexis because after living in the loft for a year, I know exactly what makes her tick. But LJ… she's going to be a real challenge.

Castle's amused voice brought me back to reality.

"Is LJ snoring?"

"She is." I laughed quietly and brushed the little girl's hair—long ago devoid of pigtails—out of her face. "What are we going to do? It looks like she's down for the count tonight, and she's probably going to freak out if I put her down…"

"We'll go lay down upstairs." His statement wasn't exactly a suggestion, but I knew it was a good idea to listen to him because he's more experienced with parenting. "If we can manage to maneuver her off you, she can sleep in between us so she feels safe." Castle dropped his voice to a whisper and spoke into my ear. "And besides, we need to talk about Alexis' situation where she can't hear us…"

Glancing over at my young friend, I saw that she and Martha were now standing by the couch and conversing quietly. A bruise was forming on Alexis' cheek from where Meredith had slapped her, but other than that, Alexis had stopped crying, and that was a good sign…

Suddenly realizing that Castle was waiting for a response, I spoke. "I agree. Come on."

Castle maneuvered himself out from behind me before helping me stand up. He moved to take LJ from me, but she must've sensed his presence while she slept because she snuggled even closer to me. Deciding it would be best if Castle didn't touch LJ; we walked over to the others and bid them good night. We were about to head up the stairs when Alexis approached us.

"Did LJ fall asleep?" she was incredulous.

"Yes, she did." I adjusted the little girl in my arms so I wouldn't accidentally drop her. "Your dad and I are going to go lay down with her, and probably won't be back down until tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?"

Alexis looked at Martha, who smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

She turned back to us. "I'll be fine. Thanks for asking. Gram and I are going to talk for awhile."

"What about that bruise on your face?" Castle inquired with fatherly concern. "What if it gets bad?"

"I can take of her." Martha assured her son. "God only knows how many of _your_ bumps and bruises I've taken care of."

Castle had nothing to say to that because he knew she had a point.

"You guys should probably get upstairs before LJ gets to heavy for Kate to hold." Alexis commented with a glance at me. "I'll be up in awhile."

"All right, Lex." I bumped her shoulder playfully since I couldn't give her a hug. "Good night, sunshine. I'm going in to talk to Captain Montgomery tomorrow and ask for some time off, but we should be home all day after that, so you can talk to me if you want."

Alexis smiled a smile of gratitude, but I knew she was still hurting inside.

"Thanks, Kate." She gave me a hug. "Just… thank you for being my friend." Alexis turned to LJ and spoke softly to her in French. _"Dormez bien, ma petite soeur."_

Remembering my French lessons from younger years, I figured out that Alexis had said "Sleep well, my little sister," and I couldn't stop my heart from turning over. It was obvious that Alexis loved LJ deeply.

I bid Martha good night as Castle talked to Alexis for a minute, and just when I was in danger of dropping LJ for realm Castle came over with LJ's suitcase in tow and helped me upstairs to our bedroom. The child woke briefly and after a slight tantrum in which she refused wear anything that Meredith had packed her (which wasn't much) or sleep anywhere other than curled up on my body, she settled for wearing one of Castle's shirts that looked like a tent on her. To our amazement she fell asleep in the blink of an eye because she said the shirt smelled just like her daddy. When Castle leaned in closer to me, LJ didn't even flinch. In fact, she edged closer to him as her rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Castle and I were both silent for a minute, both unsure of how to start talking about Alexis, so he just held LJ and I in his arms for a few minutes before my resolve finally broke, and it was my turn to as Castle had cried when we were downstairs.

"Wh-what the hell happened here tonight, Rick?" I stammered. "On the same day that I tell you I'm pregnant, we find out that _Alexis_ is pregnant too. Meredith turns up out of the blue with LJ, and then abandons her here, and _both_ of Meredith's daughters are terrified of her? LJ hides under piano and Meredith _slaps _Alexis? What kind of mother would do that to her babies?" When my mother was alive, she adored me, and my dad still does, to this day. My parents always let them know how much I meant to them and one of the ways thy showed it was that they never laid a hand on me in a bad way, no matter _how_ crazy I behaved. "I just don't understand it!"

Castle leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and we snuggled a little closer together. "I don't understand, either." He wiped the tears from my eyes with his thumbs. "I wish I had something to say to you right now, but I don't. All I can think of is how my little girl is going to become a mom later this year. What _I_ don't understand about _that_ is how she got herself in that situation. Alexis is a good kid and would normally have enough sense to not have sex until she's thirty _or_ married. What did she _do?_"

_Alexis' Point of View_

"No, Gram!" I begged, almost in tears. "I _don't_ want to talk about it yet! I will when I'm _ready!_ I need to talk to _Ashley first!"_

"Why won't you tell me?" She asked. "There is no one who understands this situation in this family better than I do! I just want to help you."

"I'm not saying anything about his identity, probably for the same reason that you never told anyone who dad's father is! The man who did this to me is just not a good person. Can't we just leave it at that?"

Gram had been trying to me to tell her who my child's father is, even though I'd made it very clear that he is completely off limits. I needed some time away from my family—preferably with Ashley—to think about everything that had happened in the past few days.

Thoroughly annoyed that Gram was walking into forbidden territory, I stood on one side of the island and she was on the other side, so there was some space in between us.

"You know better than to bring up the subject of your father's father around me." There was a little anger in her voice. "You know better!"

"I know better, but you never told me _why_ I can't talk about him, or why dad doesn't even know who his own father is." I cried back. "If I can't bring him up, then _please: _do _not_ bring up the topic of my child's father unless I do it first, all right?"

"All right." She conceded. "I won't."

I nodded and held my head in my hands. "I just _really_ need time to think about everything. I'm going to keep this little one, no doubt," Still holding my head in my hand with one hand, I clamped my free hand over my belly. "But I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. At least you were older than me and you had a _career_ when you became a single mom. I don't have _anything_ right now!"

"Oh, Alexis…" she sighed sympathetically.

I rambled on. "I don't know what I'm going to do about work or where I'm going to _live, _but I'll do everything I can to go back to school after the baby is born…."

I stopped suddenly, feeling like I hit a brick wall at full speed. Resting both hands on the light swell of my abdomen and looked up to meet Gram's eyes. The tears didn't stop falling from my own eyes as the gravity of my situation finally hit me.

"Oh, God!" I cried as Gram walked around the counter, closing the distance in between us and holding me in her arms. "I'm really going to have a baby, aren't I?"

"Yes." She murmured. "Yes, you are, but we're going to help you so you're not alone like I was."

_Kate's Point of View_

"I saw on Alexis' sonogram that she's due around the same time as me." I pointed out gleefully. "Things are going to be crazier around here—more so than usual. Two pregnant women, a three-year-old daughter _and_ a diva in one house? We better pray that this one is a boy."

We both looked at my exposed belly. Castle's large hand was resting possessively on top of the fleshy mound housing our unborn child, and one of my hands rested on next it, while the ever sleeping LJ was nestled just above my belly and had her hand laying on my shoulder with an arm around my neck. In all of the chaos of the day, she looked like the perfect picture of contentment.

"We're in trouble." Castle sighed heavily. "I think God is laughed at us, Kate."

"Somewhere in there, I hope he's also telling you to remove all of the sharp objects in the loft and make sure my gun is locked up." I laughed at the look on his face. "God only knows what the next seven-and-a-half months are going to be like for you."

Castle moaned pitifully. "Maybe God is just laughing at _me_."

Nearly an hour after laying down with LJ, Castle and I were still in bed together, but now were discussing something a little lighter: mine and Alexis' pregnancies, and all of the changes that were going to be happening in the months to come. We still needed to talk about the _true_ nature of Alexis' situation, but no one wanted to start.

I eventually realized that it was up to me.

"Rick," I poke in a no-nonsense tone. "We _still_ need to talk about Alexis' situation."

Just when I thought he'd complain like an overgrown child again, he sobered up. People close to Castle know that when it comes to dealing with the well-being of his children, he _never_ joked around.

"Yes, we do." He agreed seriously. "Alexis is pretty set on keeping her baby, so we _really_ need to help her every step of the way."

"It's going to be very interesting since I'm pregnant, too." I shifted LJ slightly so I could breathe a little easier. She still didn't want to get off my lap. "What about her long-term living situation? She's _nineteen_, and she isn't going to want to stay with us forever. She's going to want independence."

My boyfriend was quiet for a minute before speaking. "It seems to me that Alexis will probably freak out on us right now if we mention independent living, especially with a baby on the way. In any event, she isn't in a fit state to live alone these days. Her life had been dramatically altered _again, _and I _really_ can't guess how long it will take her to get over it. We should bring it up when she's further along in her pregnancy and open that option up after the baby is born. We don't need her to freak out on us—or anybody, for that matter—more than she has been already."

"Fair enough." I replied. "What about school? She already told us that she isn't returning to Oxford, but something tells me that she won't be going off to Princeton, either…"

LJ suddenly stirred in her sleep and Castle gave her a gentle back rub to ease her back into a peaceful dreamland before he answered my question.

"That's an easy one, Kate." He suddenly sounded very sure of himself. "Education is very important to Alexis, so knowing her, she's probably already thought finding some sort of program to enroll herself in after she has the baby. No _way_ she'll want to consider it now, especially since she still has to deal with all of the wounds her mother's visit brought."

"No argument there…"

After a few more minutes of detail-straightening, we fell silent again, and I got to thinking about how blessed I was to be part of the Castle clan, and to even have a clan of my own at the precinct (albeit a very odd one). Our family—Castle family and precinct family alike—came together unconventionally in the beginning, but now, I wouldn't ever have it any other way.

Castle's voice interrupted my musings.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Careful not to disturb the sleeping LJ, I leaned over and kissed him passionately on the lips.

"I'm just thankful—as I have been every day since you let me into your personal life—that I finally have the family I thought I'd never get to have."


	3. Going to the Precinct

**DISCLAIMER: **7 ½ years of writing, and still… I own nothing…

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **There is a small mention of abuse, so don't say I didn't warn you.

**CHAPTER 3: GOING TO THE PRECINCT**

_Kate's Point of View_

The next morning, I woke to a heavy feeling on my waist and shaking me gently. I sat up to see LJ give me a worried glance before shaking Castle awake. He woke up immediately and pulled her off me. I edged close to him as Castle spoke to her.

"What's wrong, LJ?" he asked gently. "What's the matter?"

Slightly out of breath, she responded. "Lexie's in her bathroom an' she's tossin' her cookies!"

It didn't take a deep thinker to understand the meaning of her words, so Castle and I were out of bed in a flash. He and LJ were almost out the door when they turned back to me. I had halted in my tracks as my stomach churned. I turned and ran to the bathroom and threw back the toilet seat and knelt down over it just in time to see last night's dinner make an appearance.

LJ became grossed out and promptly left the room for Alexis' bathroom as Castle made his way to me and tied my hair back, and rubbed my back gently.

"Rick," I growled slightly as my stomach gave me a small break. "Go check on Alexis first!"

"But—" he tried.

I cut him off. "No! I'll be fine! Go check on Alexis before I shoot you!"

He paused. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I cried. "Now _please_ go! That's the last warning!"

My boyfriend nodded reluctantly and left the room to check on his oldest daughter. After throwing up for ten more minutes, I was finally done and brushed my teeth. Feeling in desperate need of a shower, I got up and turned the shower on.

That's when I remembered that if I wasn't out the door soon, I would be late for work.

Hurrying back into the bedroom, I picked up my phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Montgomery."

"Sir, it's Beckett."

"I'd know your voice anywhere, detective." There was warmth in his voice. "What can I do for you this morning?"

"A few things came up last night that require my attention at home."

"Is everything all right?"

Debating on what to tell him, I hesitated for a second. "I'll be in an hour or so to explain everything."

"All right." He said in an understanding tone. "See you then."

Once the call was ended, I went to the bathroom, undressed and got into the shower. Twenty minutes later, after reeling my mind back in from wandering too far about mine and Castle's future together, I was clean and poking through my side of the closet looking for something to wear. Eventually, I decided on my favorite blue spring blouse and black tunic pants. Perusing through my shoe rack, I pulled down a pair of black ballet flats Alexis had given me as a gift a little while back and put those on. I knew I could wear them for a little while longer before my feet started swelling.

Making sure that my gun was locked up in the wall safe—I wouldn't be needing it today, and God forbid LJ should find it—I put the necklace with my mom's ring on it around my neck and strapped my father's watch on my wrist and put my badge in my pocket before finally feeling ready enough to go downstairs.

On my way out of the room, I stopped to look at my reflection in the full length mirror, noticing that while my clothes did cover my baby bump, I'd be needing new clothes because I would start showing in another month or so.

Thinking about past memories, I remembered back to when I was about eight, and I saw pictures of my mom when she was pregnant with me. In the pictures taken a few days before I was born, her belly was huge. Seeing the picture, I remembered telling her I was sorry I did that to her and that I never wanted to have kids because I didn't want to get big and fat like she had. My mom just laughed at me and accepted my apology, but as I left the room we were in, she called after me that I'd change my mind one day.

Casting one last glance at my reflection, I ran a hand over my belly and looked down at it as I thought about the little life that was growing inside.

"We didn't expect you, Little One," I whispered softly. "But I am so _glad_ that you're coming. I want you to know that I changed my mind about wanting kids because I grew up and realized that I love you more than you could possibly know, and I already know that no matter how many times I get sick, no matter how big I get, and no matter how much it hurts to make sure you make it into the world safely, it will all have been worth it because I'll get to hold you in my arms and tell you how amazing and perfect you are."

Smiling to myself, I left the room and headed down the stairs to a bustling kitchen. Martha and Alexis were at the breakfast bar working on a crossword puzzle together, while LJ was standing on a stepstool at the counter next to Castle, helping him cook. Feeling more concerned about the two of them cooking together, I said good morning to the other two and approached the counter.

"Morning, mama!" LJ chirped happily. "You feel better now?"

My heart fluttered briefly when she called me 'mama.' Leaning down, I kissed her on the top of the head.

"Yes, LJ." I smiled. "You help us make 'morelettes!"

"''Morelettes,' huh?" I gave Castle a quick good morning kiss before returning my attention to her. "What's that?"

The little girl looked up from the eggs she'd been beating mercilessly with a whisk.

"'Morelettes is the bestest thing to have for breakfast!" I raised an eyebrow at her and she hastily tacked on a better explanation. "Daddy said it first…"

I turned to Castle and looked at him quizzically. "Why have I never heard of this concoction of yours before now?"

He flipped the eggs in the skillet over. "The last time I made a s'morelette, mother wouldn't touch it, and Alexis took one bite and didn't like it." With practiced skill, he took the egg the now cooked egg out of the skillet with a spatula and put it on a plate. "I decided to see if LJ wanted to try it, and she does." He found a fork in the utensil drawer and cut a piece of egg with it. "Thus, we are making s'morelettes. Open."

Castle was holding up a forkful of s'morelette to my mouth. I rolled my eyes and accepted the food, all though I secretly found it cute when he made gestures like that. Swallowing, I tasted something that shouldn'tve been in the mixture, and I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose.

"I _told_ you she wouldn't like it, dad." Alexis had been watching me and now she sounded triumphant. "Some things just _aren't_ supposed to be mixed together."

"It's not that." I shook my head. "What's _in_ there?"

"Mama!" LJ whined in annoyance as she pulled the plate and fork to herself. "That was _mine!"_

I laughed as she began to eat, still holding the food away from me.

"I think the ingredients are self-explanatory," Castle chuckled at his younger daughter's antics. "But if you must know: there is a s'more in LJ's omelette."

"Interesting…"

I looked at the s'morelete LJ was clearly enjoying and back at Castle, who was watching me with eager anticipation.

"Well…?"

"Will you please make me a s'morelette?" Castle grinned like a little boy at Christmastime while Alexis, who was still watching us, gave a sigh of disappointment and went back to the crossword. "That was actually pretty good."

"It will be my pleasure."

As Castle set about to make me a s'morelette, LJ gave me her empty plate and stepped off her stepstool to go play in the living room. I put her plate in the sink and began to wash it. Alexis looked up from her crossword puzzle again.

"I'm going to ask a question, but nobody had better tease me about changing my mind."

"What's the question, Lex?" I rinsed off the plate and put it on the drying rack. "I know _I_ won't tease you, but I can't say the same thing for your father or grandmother." The pair of them had matching mischievous glints in their eyes. "You can still ask me."

"I was wondering if I could have a s'morelette, too, please?"

Castle laughed. "Seriously? After what happened last time," he passed me a freshly made s'morelette and I dug in happily. "You're asking for one?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm asking for one," She poured herself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher next to her. "But it's not for me. The _baby_ wants it because it really likes chocolate and marshmallows."

Castle mischievous smile widened as he began to make the third s'morelette. "So your pregnancy cravings have started already, have they? That must've been what the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff thing was about yesterday."

Martha interjected at this point. "Of _course_ that's what it was about!" She spoke in a tone that said she would've smacked him if she was closer. "And just you wait, my boy: since Kate and Alexis are _both_ pregnant right now, that's going to be _twice_ the one a.m. food runs for pickles and ice cream… or chocolate and marshmallows in this case. Now keep an eye on that food and see that you don't burn it!"

She pointed at Alexis' s'morelette and Castle jumped when he saw that it was getting very brown. Alexis and I laughed at him as he fussed over it and fed the birds.

After breakfast, everybody discussed their plans for the day. Martha informed us that she had to go off to Broadway to rehearse for a new role in a Shakespeare play, and would probably be gone all day. Alexis told us that she was going to hang out in the loft for awhile and maybe play her violin before paying Ashley a visit. Castle announced that he'd found a manila envelope of signed custody papers Meredith had left in LJ's suitcase, so he was going to call his lawyer to get LJ's adoption process in motion. Once I voiced my plans about going to the precinct, we realized that LJ would get bored if she stayed cooped up in the loft all day, so it was decided that I take her with me to the precinct. (She would be happy to tag along, anyway) Martha observed that besides needing new toys, LJ also needed new clothes.

I sighed when Castle handed me his charge card, knowing that a few hours of shopping with a three-year-old were in my future. Putting the charge card in my wallet and turning to look for LJ, I saw that she was zipping about in the living room, still dressed in her shirt from last night.

"LJ!" I called to her. "Will you come here for a second?"

She toddled over and looked up. "Mama play with LJ?"

I crouched down so I was level with her. "Not right now, sweetheart." LJ pouted and crossed her arms. "You and I are going to mama's work for a little bit. How does that sound?"

LJ's curiosity got the better of her and she uncrossed her arms. "What does mama do?"

"I'm a detective." I showed her my badge and she looked at it with great interest. "I help catch bad guys and put them away."

LJ gave me back my badge and her voice was full of awe and admiration.

"Wow! I wan' be _just_ like you when I get bigger!" I smiled, touched by her words. "Please to go now?"

She bolted toward the door, but I caught her before she reached it.

"Hold your horses, Miss Lily." I set her on her feet but held on so she didn't try to take off on me again. "You can't go, dressed like that!"

She looked at her shirt and a panicked look appeared in her eyes.

"Please to keep it, Katie!" I made a note of how she called me by name when she was upset. "It smells just like daddy, an' I _like_ that smell! I promise to take care of it!" Huge puppy tears suddenly appeared in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "Katie no hurt LJ!"

Somewhat taken aback by that statement, I sat down on the floor and pulled her close in a hug. I whispered in her ear for her to take deep breaths while I fought back my own tears.

"LJ," I whispered when she calmed down a little bit. "Did your mommy ever hurt you?"

Nod. She played with my necklace absently.

"Do you know why?"

"Mommy say crying is for little babies, an' then she hit me on the arm." LJ hiccupped. "Hitting isn't nice."

"You're right, Baby Bird." I gave her a kiss. "Hitting isn't nice, and your mommy shouldn'tve done that. But you know what?"

"What?"

"It's okay to cry."

She pulled away and looked at me. "Really?"

"Really."

She nodded, taking my words into consideration. "Katie no hurt LJ?"

"Never in a million years."

"What about daddy, Gram an' Lexie?" She asked seriously.

I choked back more tears. "Never ever."

"I keep daddy's shirt, please?"

"Yes, you may."

LJ breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Tank you, mama." She took my face in her hands just as she had done with her father last night. "I always be your baby?"

Not caring if my tears fell now, I pulled her in for another hug. It was impossible not to love this precious girl.

"Yes, Lily Joy. You're always going to be my baby." I wiped her tears and I spoke excitedly to change the topic. "Hey, guess what happens after you get dressed and we go to my job?"

She pulled away from me again and I saw the excitement return to her.

"What happens, mama?"

"I'm going to take you shopping, and we're going to get you new clothes and toys!"

Her whole body shook with excitement. "Please to get new shoes, too? Mine pinch my feet."

"New shoes, too." I promised.

LJ squealed with excitement and ran off to Alexis to tell her what was going on. Castle sidled over and helped me to my feet.

"_Please_ tell me you heard that conversation." I told him.

"I did." He assured me as he wiped my tears. "It's going to give me another reason to prove to the judge that the adoption should be closed."

I looked over at LJ who was happily conversing with Alexis. "I can't believe Meredith would harm that beautiful child."

"Neither can I, KB. But you know what?"

"What's that?"

"LJ clearly adores you, so it'll do her some good to be with you."

I was about to say something in response when LJ ran over and began to tug on my hand, whining at me that she wanted my help getting dressed. Ten minutes later, I had her dressed in an appropriate spring outfit: a yellow t-shirt decorated with a patchwork peace sign, khaki cargo shorts and bright red sandals. Instead of putting her long red hair into pigtails like yesterday, I combed out all the tangles (a process neither one of us enjoyed) and braided it into a French braid and tied it off with the hair tie Castle had put in my own hair earlier.

Making sure I had my purse and keys with me, we bid goodbye to the others. Once we were outside, I realized that we didn't have a car seat for LJ, I quickly hailed a taxi. Amused by her natural curiosity she had obviously inherited from her dad, complete with the impulse to touch everything; I did my best to answer her questions about the proper functions of a taxi meter. It wasn't until we were in the elevator, riding up to the murder precinct floor that LJ stopped talking in mid-sentence.

I looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm a little scared of meeting everyone."

The elevator door opened and we stepped out. I looked down at her.

"It's going to be all right." I told her. "Everybody will love you."

She just nodded and followed me into the bullpen, keeping a firm grasp on my hand. The room was busy as always, but Ryan, Esposito and Lanie spotted us as soon as we got to my desk.

"Hey, Beckett." Ryan greeted us. "Who's your friend?"

"The little chica looks like a mini version of Alexis…" Esposito mused.

Lanie just put her hands on her hips and looked at me. "What have you and writer boy been up to? I _just_ saw you the day before yesterday!"

A new voice joined the conversation, and we saw that it was the captain. "What's going on here?"

I rolled my eyes at them. "Maybe if you would all just _breathe_ a little, I could tell you!"

They all stopped talking right away. I scooped LJ up in my arms and sat on the edge of my desk. LJ secured herself in my lap and watched cautiously.

"Everybody, this is Lily Joy, but she prefers to be called LJ." I spoke to the four of them at large. "And before you ask: she's Castle and Meredith's daughter, so that's why she looks like a mini version of Alexis. We just met her yesterday evening." I exchanged looks with LJ. "Can you say hi to my friends, Baby Bird?"

"Hi." She waved shyly at them. "What your names?"

The others introduced themselves. LJ liked the captain, but she wasn't sure about Esposito or Lanie at first. (I wasn't surprised, because if I was in LJ's position, a tough guy like Esposito and a lady with a diva attitude like Lanie's would probably scare the crap out of me.) LJ's response to Ryan, on the other hand, was completely different. As soon as he told her his name, she held her arms out to him, wanting to be held.

Her voice was quiet and shy, indicating that she was a little smitten with him.

"I like your tie, Uncle Ryan."

"Thank you." He smiled as she examined it. "Do you know what animal that is?"

"Piggies!" She answered proudly. "Piggies go 'oink'!"

"Yes, they do." He nodded. "I'll tell you a secret: I _love_ piggies."

LJ gasped in delight and clapped her hands. "Really? Me, too!"

It didn't surprise me one bit that Ryan would bond with a three-year-old over one of the dorky ties that Jenny had given him. The tie in question was a deep purple color with a pink pig pattern.

I knew that I needed to talk to Captain Montgomery about LJ soon, (and the baby, too, now that I thought about it) but the scene in front of me was becoming too cute for words.

Ryan was now sitting next to me on the edge of the desk with LJ on his lap. She was facing him and tracing his face with her tiny fingers. Her voice portrayed childish innocence.

"Uncle Ryan, is you a prince?"

"Why do you ask?" he wanted to know.

"Because you gots _really_ nice blue eyes."

"So do you, LJ." She giggled at his words and my heart turned over to see her so happy. "You want to know if I'm a prince?"

"Yeah, 'cause I think you are."

"Okay, then." He agreed. "Yes, I am a prince."

She clapped her hands happily, but stop in mid-clap when a new thought struck her.

"If you is a prince, that means your Jenny is a _princess!"_

The captain pulled me away before I could hear Ryan's response.

"I suppose you came in to talk about LJ, huh?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. I was going to when we got here, but I got distracted…"

He laughed and patted me on the back. "Welcome to parenthood, detective!"

I smiled and looked over at LJ. "I'll be along in a minute. I just need to talk to her…"

"Go ahead. I'll be waiting for you." He walked off toward his office.

I turned to LJ, who was now a completely person than when I'd met her last night.

"LJ?" She turned to look at me. "I have to go talk to Uncle Montgomery for a minute."

The panicked look she'd shown me at the loft this morning was back in her eyes as she threw her arm around Ryan's neck and held onto him tightly. Ryan winced and began to pry LJ's fingers off his shirt.

"No, mama!" LJ cried, not paying Ryan any attention. "No leave yet!"

"Chill out a second. Deep breaths, remember?" She nodded and took a few deep breaths before focusing on me again. "You're not going to talk to him, _I_ am. You're going to stay here with Uncle Ryan and the others, all right."

"Okay." She chirped.

With Ryan reassuring me that he didn't have any pressing business to attend to, I made my way into the captain's office. Sitting in the chair across from his desk, I saw that he was looking at me with an expectant look on his face.

"To make a really long story short: Meredith paid us a visit last night, wreaked havoc on Castle and Alexis, and left LJ behind."

"And LJ got attached to you?"

I nodded. "She's gotten attached to all of us, especially when she realized that Castle, Martha and Alexis are related to her. She got attached to me because I was pretty much the first woman she met who showed her unconditional love. LJ calls me 'mama' because she knows that I love her, and she knows that I'd never hurt her like Meredith did."

He picked up on my dislike for Castle's ex-wife and spoke carefully.

"Is Meredith gone now?"

"Yes, thank goodness." I tucked a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. "I came in to explain things a little bit because it would be too complicated on the phone."

"That's perfectly understandable."

"I was also wondering if I could have some time off to sort some things out, and to help LJ get adjusted." I left out the part about the Castle sisters being abandoned and disowned. "Even as we speak, sir, Castle is working on starting the adoption process for LJ."

"Of course you can have that time off, Kate. I hope everything works out, and I want you and Castle to know that you have a whole precinct of cops who will back either of you up on whatever you need."

I gave him a smile of gratitude. "Thanks, Roy."

A sudden burst of delighted laughter floated into the room from the bullpen. Turning around to look out, I saw that Ryan's lovely wife, Jenny, had joined the others, no doubt stopping in on her way to work, and she was sitting in my chair with LJ perched on her lap. They were both watching Ryan and Esposito tell a story, and it looked like Lanie was throwing in her two cents every now and then. LJ loved every minute of it and was laughing hysterically.

My hand slid down to my belly and rested there before I realized what I was doing.

"Detective?"

I jumped slightly, forgetting that the captain was there.

"Sorry." I apologized. "I was just… thinking…"

"Is there something you need to tell me?"

He smiled knowingly and I returned his smile.

"I'd like you to keep this to yourself for now," I spoke. "But I just found out that I'm almost three months pregnant with mine and Castle's first baby."

My friend immediately came over and pulled me into a hug.

"That's amazing news!" He released me from the hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Aside from a brief spell of morning sickness at home, I feel great."

I had to be _very_ careful not to mention Alexis' pregnancy now.

"How did Castle take the news?"

I laughed at the memory. "He was delirious with joy."

"That sounds just like Castle." He paused. "I'll give you two weeks to take care of everything."

"Thank you, sir."

I turned to go, but he called after me.

"Kate!"

"Sir?"

"Take good care of that little girl. You're good for her."

I smiled, remembering Castle's words from this morning.

"I'll take _perfect_ care of her. I loved her from the start."

Nodding goodbye, I made my way back to my desk. LJ's face lit up when she saw me.

"Mama!" She squealed happily. "Uncle Ryan an' Uncle Esposito an' Aunt Lanie tolded me a story about Goldilocks an' the three bears, but there was a _beanstalk_ an' a giant _an'_ a girl called 'Punzel! She had _really_ long hair." I was slightly startled that she said all of that in one breath. Her little face turned to one of concern. "I don't 'member the story being like that, though…"

I ruffled her hair playfully. "Don't worry about it, LJ. They're being silly and mixing up _three_ stories at the same time."

"Oh…" she turned to Ryan, Esposito and Lanie who each looked everywhere but at her. "Ha! Aunt Jenny was _right!" _LJ turned to Jenny and held out her bunched up fingers. "We bird feed now?"

Jenny grinned and returned the gesture. "That's right, little sis."

When I told LJ it was time to go, I half expected her to throw a tantrum because was having so much fun. She just sighed heavily and crossed her arms, but after high-fives from her new uncles, and hugs, kisses and reassurances from her new aunts, LJ slid off Jenny's lap and followed me to the elevator, holding onto my hand and humming tunelessly to herself.

"I hope we can come back again soon!" She told me as the elevator doors slid shut. "I had _so_ much fun!"

"That's great, Baby Bird." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Do you remember what's next?"

"Shopping!"

**AN: **How did I do? I decided to have a heart and lighten the mood a little bit since LJ was abandoned by her biological mother in the first chapter. Be a nice person and send me a review! Reviews = gold stars :D


	4. Key to My Heart

**DISCLAIMER: **HEY, GUESS WHAT? :D I FINALLY OWN IT ALL! BWAHAHA—*record scratch as my two muses pull the plug* **sighs heavily **Nope… still not mine…

**CHAPTER 4: KEY TO MY HEART**

_Alexis' Point of View_

Gram left the loft shortly after Kate and LJ, so that it meant it was just dad and me. He shut himself in his office, saying that besides making a few calls to get the ball rolling for adopting LJ, he also needed to get hold of Paula and Gina to straighten things out with them before the press did too much of their own investigating of their own. I told him that he could tell them about my pregnancy, but _only_ so they could tell the general public if need be. (Even though I'm Richard Castle's daughter, I tend to keep a low profile) In the end, that left me completely alone because when dad goes into his office, his brain turns into Fort Knox and whatever _does_ get his attention falls on deaf ears, more often than not.

Once I had my breakfast dishes put away, I retreated to play my. I've been playing for sixteen years—since mom left the first time, actually—so I'm actually very good, and I have the ability to play by ear, thus being able to play virtually anything I hear. That skill comes in handy because I love to play complicated pieces—usually movie scores—when I'm upset.

After playing four of the most complicated pieces I know, including _Lux Eterna _and _Death Is the Road to Awe, _I realized that I couldn't put off telling Ashley any longer because I literally _needed_ him, I put my violin back in its case and headed into my walk-in closet to find an outfit to wear, having put on sweats after my morning shower. Twenty minutes later, I reemerged carrying a few articles of clothing, jewelry and shoes. Peeling off my sweats, I smiled to myself when I saw my small baby bump. (It was small, but it was there) Sure, this kid was not at all planned, and I'm nineteen, but I was excited about everything, nevertheless.

Shaking my head after a second, I refocused on the task at hand: getting dressed.

Since there was a beautiful spring day outside, I dressed accordingly with a very cotton dress I had bought on my first day back in the States. The dress came to fall just below my knees, and was light blue in color, with a white hem and matching white sleeves. I slipped on my favorite necklace that had been a gift from Ashley at the beginning of our relationship last year and sat down on my bed and set about putting my black lace up ballet shoes. (They'd been a gift from Kate last year on the same day that I gave her a pair of flats, too) With a jolt, I realized that in a few months' time, I wouldn't be able to wear them because my feet will be too swelled up. I heaved a sigh as a new thought dawned on me: in a few months' time, I wouldn't be able to _see_ my feet! I put my shoes on grudgingly.

Getting to my feet, I headed to my bathroom, and combed out all of the knots before styling it into a classic bun hairstyle, but a few strands of loose hair hung down around my face. Looking around, I spotted the basket next to the sink and pulled out a white flower hairclip shaped like a Gerber daisy and clipped it into my hair.

Not in the mood to wear make up, I wandered back out into my room and looked at my reflection in my closet mirror. I felt very beautiful and happy with that fact that nobody would really notice my belly unless they looked closely. Looking around, I made sure I had my purse and car keys, I headed downstairs to dad's office and made sure that he was paying full attention to me, I let him know what I was up to before leaving the loft and headed to the elevators in the hallway to take a ride to the basement. Once in the basement, I headed over to my blue Mini Cooper and got in, ready for the drive to Ashley's house.

After a quiet trip to Ashley's neighborhood in Queens, I parked at the house next to his and sat back in the driver's seat, suddenly having second thoughts.

It wasn't noon yet, but I knew that Ashley was done with his classes for the day at school.

But what if he wasn't home?

What if he freaked out when I told him about the baby?

What if he turned me away?

No…he's a good person. He's better than that…

With those reassuring thoughts, I gathered my things up and walked up the driveway to my house. I didn't make it too far before I heard a voice call my name.

"Alexis!"

Turning in response to my name, I saw Ashley's mom, Mrs Kerrigan. She was coming off the off the porch where she and her husband, Mr Kerrigan, were sitting in rocking chairs enjoying fresh glasses of lemonade together. As she came closer, I saw that she was all smiles, even though I'd arrived unannounced. Mrs Kerrigan was always happy to see me.

She gave me a friendly hug. "What are you doing here, sweetheart? I'm very excited to see you, but aren't you supposed to be in Oxford?"

I fought back my tears. "Th-things got complicated and I had to leave."

She made a sympathetic noise. "I'm sorry." She briefly looked at her husband who was watching us from the porch and then back at me. "Come have some lemonade with us. Ashley should be back from school soon."

I agreed to this because I've always gotten along with Ashley's parents even though most people are never quite sure what to make of two people like them. The Kerrigan family comes from money, and even though they could be living in a colossal mansion somewhere up in the countryside, they've chosen to reside in a quiet little neighborhood in Queens.

Following Mrs Kerrigan up to the porch, I sat down in her empty rocking chair next to her husband. Mr Kerrigan offered me a fresh glass of lemonade. I gladly accepted it and took a drink.

"Alexis, what brings you here?"

"Things got complicated at Oxford and she left." Mrs Kerrigan answered for me. "Poor dear…"

Her husband's eyes landed on my ring. "Does it have something to do with that ring on your finger?"

I set my glass of lemonade on the porch floor and took the blasted piece of jewelry off. In all of yesterday's excitement, I'd _still_ forgotten to take it off.

"It has _everything_ to do with this ring." I set it on the edge of my armrest. "I don't want to see that ring _ever_ again."

Mr Kerrigan put it in his pocket dutifully. "And you won't. I promise."

I tried to smile but couldn't succeed because the bruise from where mom had slapped me still stung, even though it was fading now.

"Are you all right?" There was genuine concern in Mr Kerrigan's voice.

I shook my head no. "My mom paid us a visit last night, and among the other things she did, she _slapped_ me on the cheek because she found out that I _was_ engaged, and that I _am _pregnant." I didn't see either of their reactions to my unexpected announcement because I finally lost my battle with my composure and cried with no shame. "Wh-where is Ashley? I _need_ him!"

Mr Kerrigan pulled out his phone and dialed Ashley's number. The conversation was brief.

"Hi, Ashley—No, you're not in trouble—There's someone here who _really _ wants to see you—Yes, I will—All right. Bye."

Mrs Kerrigan and I looked at him expectantly as he hung up the phone. He smiled, and my heart leapt into my throat at his words.

"Ashley is just down the street."

After the longest minute of my life, Ashley's car came into view as he parked in the driveway. As soon as I saw him, my body froze up. I wanted so badly to just get off the porch and run into his arms, but I just couldn't move. In fact, I didn't remember how to move (or breathe) until he stepped on the porch and saw me, tears and all. Even at that, I only moved because his mother gave me a gentle nudge to get me to my feet.

Ashley was very surprised to see me. "What are you doing here?" He hugged me and it took a lot of self control to not melt in his arms. "Why aren't you in England?"

"Things didn't work out." I looked into my ex-boyfriend's eyes and not caring that his parents were nearby, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. I was very amused by the stunned look on his face. "I've been waiting a _long_ time to do that. Can we go inside, please? I have _so_ much to tell you!"

He regained his senses and held my hand in his, kissing it. "Sure. We'll go upstairs to my room."

Before following him inside, I looked back at his parents and offered them a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Mr and Mrs Kerrigan."

Mr Kerrigan returned the smile. "Any time, Alexis."

Mrs Kerrigan nodded. "Yes, but for the millionth time: do call us by our names!"

I laughed, having had this conversation with them many times. "Thank you, Molly and Seamus."

They accepted the thanks and shooed us inside. A few minutes later, we were upstairs in Ashley's room, sitting on his bed.

Now that I was completely alone with the one I'd been waiting to be with, I automatically _wept_ (and silently cursed my pregnancy hormones) as my defenses fell further than they had when I was out on the porch. Ashley was very bewildered, but still found tissues for me and held me close in his muscular arms. Knowing that I always wanted physical contact whenever I was in tears, he didn't let go until my sobs had turned into sniffles.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" He released me and I leaned against his shoulder. "It has to be something _really_ big if I come home to find you on the porch with my parents, and you're sobbing. Not to mention that you're supposed to be in Oxford." He paused, trying best to think of how best to phrase the next question. "Did you get kicked out?"

"I withdrew." I sighed shakily. "I'm not going to Princeton, either."

A puzzled look appeared on Ashley's face. "Why did you withdraw?"

Tears immediately filled my eyes because the moment of truth was almost at hand.

It was just…harder to deal with than I thought.

This could change everything… for better or worse…

Ashley sensed my uneasiness and touched his forehead to mine, speaking in gentle tones, coaxing me to speak. Finally getting up enough courage to speak, I sat up and turned to face him but held onto his hands.

"I have to tell you something," I began. "And it's probably going to be the hardest thing I've _ever_ had to tell you because it's _way_ bigger than the time Theodore escaped. I'll understand if you freak out on me and turn me awa—"

Ashley put a finger to my lips and I fell silent. "Shh, Alexis." He soothed. "It's okay. You can tell me anything. Deep breaths."

I nodded and he took his finger away. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

It was no or never…

"Ashley, I'm pregnant."

A hushed silence descended on the room, and for a moment, the only sounds were us breathing and Theodore the pet rat running on his wheel in his cage. Ashley broke the silence a minute later.

"Pregnant?" He was obviously shocked. "Really?"

"Yes. It happened while I was away at school." I rubbed my belly because the baby was making feel fluttery, like there was a whole bunch of butterflies in there, instead. "I'm sorry."

He pulled me into his lap and leaned against the cushioned headboard. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I had _sex,_ and it wasn't with you! We're not together, but it still felt _wrong!_ I may not be as innocent as people make me out to be, but I still have a _conscience!"_

"Tell me about everything. Please."

I looked up at him. "Are you sure?"

He brought my head to rest on his shoulder again. "Yes."

"Are you mad?"

He shook his head. "No, Alexis. We're broken up—unless you want to be together again after this—so could do anything we wanted. But…we're friends, right?"

"Always. Friends tell each other things, and there have never been any secrets between us."

"That's true…"

"You're one of the last few friends I have left because I talked to Sloane, Taylor and Paige yesterday morning and told them about the baby, and they all jumped ship on me. I feel alone…"

"Those girls are morons, and you most certainly are _not_ alone." He shook his head. "But you're getting off topic, Lex…"

I nodded, resting his hands on top of my belly. It felt so right to be sitting like this with him.

"It all began during my first week at school. I met this guy named Conrad King, and he was few years older than me, working on the library staff. We became friends, and I needed the companionship. He gave me bad vibes at first, but I shook them off because my feelings were totally haywire, anyway. I shouldn'tve ignored those feelings…"

Ashley stroked my hair absently, knowing that I liked it. "Why's that?"

"Well," I reached for his fingers and my heart skipped a beat when they intertwined with mine. "There was a weekend when I was bored and Connor decided to take me down to one of the local pubs, since I hadn't been to one yet." A scandalized look appeared on his face. "Hey! The legal drinking age there is eighteen, so there was no illegal business going on. Do you understand?"

"I do." He replied. "Please continue."

"Conrad and I went down to one of the pubs a little way into town… and I had my first drink. It turns out that I can hold my liquor better than I thought. I ended up getting a _little_ drunk."

Ashley tensed up. "I don't like where this is going. Please tell me this isn't going where I think it's going…"

"Then I'd be lying."

He sighed. "Keep going."

"I wasn't really myself, and not just because I was slightly tipsy. It was more because I agreed to go back to his place." I traced patterns on the fabric of my dress with a finger. "I slept with him that night—and _yes,_ I consented—and the baby was made that night."

My voice trailed off and he nudged me gently. "What is it?"

"You can't tell _anybody_ about Conrad, all right? I'd rather keep his identity a secret because it's what's best. _Promise_ you won't tell."

"I promise I won't." Ashley replied in his most sincere tone. "Nobody will know."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "I wish this story was done, but it's not because there's another _really_ important detail."

"What detail would that be?"

"I regret that night. Yes, I woke up with a hang over, but now that I remember things, Conrad was rough. He _scared_ me, and I _really_ hope he doesn't find me." I shivered and he pulled his blanket over us. "I don't regret the baby at all, because it's an innocent life, but I regret the _conception_ and I'd rather forget it. All I could think about that night was _our_ first time, Ashley. I just wanted to be with _you._ I was already depressed because I was in a new place far from home, but Connor just made me _worse."_

I broke down into gut wrenching sobs in his arms.

"Th-there's m-more to the story than that."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes." I hiccupped. _"S-so_ much more, and it's about my f-family. I've gotta get it all out."

"That's what I'm here for."

In between sobs, I told him everything about last night: the appearance of my mother, the introduction of my baby sister, my brief engagement, the fight between my mom and me, as well as the abandonment of LJ. I even mentioned my own abandonment sixteen years ago. I just left out Kate's pregnancy because it wasn't my place to talk about.

I suddenly felt very exposed, now that he knew _everything_ about me, but I also felt _safe._

"I'm sorry those things happened to you, Alexis." His voice was soft. "I am _so_ sorry, but you've gotta take a few more deep breaths right now because you're going to make yourself sick and that's not good for the baby."

"No, it's not…" I took a few deep breaths and when I was calm again, I smiled at him through my tears. "Thanks for being here for me to babble at."

"Oh, Lex…" He laughed a little as he wiped my tears. "It wasn't babbles at all. You were getting all your thoughts and feelings out, and that's perfectly okay because you're just as human as I am."

"That makes me feel better."

"I'm glad."

We lapsed into a contented silence, and I pulled my necklace out from under my shirt and began to play with it absentmindedly. Resting on the chain were two silver charms: a diamond heart with a keyhole in the middle, and a little silver key to go in it.

"Hey!" Ashley was cheerful when he saw it. "You've still got the necklace."

"I've worn it every day since you gave it to me."

"Do you remember what I said when I gave it to you?"

"Of course. It was a poem." I began to recite it. _"'Late at night when I'm sound asleep, into my heart you softly creep. I sit and wonder how it could be, but you must have stumbled across the key. This key holds the secret to true love and more, so take it now and unlock the door, and I pray that we will never part, now that you have the key to my heart.'"_

I let the necklace fall as he took my hands in his.

"I _love_ you, Alexis." He put emphasis on the word 'love,' and my heart fluttered. "I understand that you just got out of a bad relationship and that you're all kinds of hurt right now. But I want you to know—no, I _need_ you to know that you're the key to my heart. You're my princess, and I want to be your prince. I understand that you may not want to be with anybody because you feel damaged, but I here, _right now,_ telling you that I will wait for you and I will stand by you when you're ready." He put both hands on my belly and looked me square in the eye. "I promise you that I'll wait for you, but I also promise to always be your friend, and I promise that if you want me to, I'll do everything I can to be a good male influence for this baby since Conrad is obviously out of the picture." Ashley gave a belly a gentle caress. "With me around, this baby will grow up to be rather incredible—just like its mommy—and it will grow up having _two_ parents who will show their baby nothing but love."

My heart was suddenly fit to burst because of Ashley's love and kind words.

"I couldn't ask for more."

**AN:** Remember that reviews = gold stars…no matter what one my muses may say…

**P.S.: **The poem that Alexis recites isn't mine. I found it on a website.


	5. Breakdowns

**DISCLAIMER: **Just for necessity's sake, this is the part where I say that I own nothing.

**CHAPTER 5: BREAKDOWNS**

_Kate's Point of View_

After several hours of intense shopping with LJ, at Castle's expense, I saw that LJ, as happy as she was to be out and about, she was starting to get sleepy. From the time that we left FAO Schwartz to the time that we got into the front door was a blur, but all I know is that we didn't lose anything and LJ didn't fall asleep on her feet.

Castle rushed over when he saw me come through the door laden with everything.

"Whoa, Kate!" He helped me put the bags down before picking LJ up. "How much stuff did you _buy?"_

I smirked as I put my things away. "Enough to know the spare room next to Alexis' spare bedroom will be turned into LJ's room, and," I sauntered up to him with a wicked grin. "Enough to tell you that you're going to have to write another bestseller…but you should also write another one, just to be safe."

"Ouch." He winced. "Between you and Alexis, I'm going to be writing Nikki Heat books until I'm seventy!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Just what I need…"

"But you're my muse!" he complained. _"And_ you live here! In fact, we…nope, I can't say that. You'd probably shoot me…"

I laughed at his change of topic in midsentence. "I can't shoot you, Rick, because my gun is locked away upstairs _and_" I gestured towards LJ, who was sound asleep, exhausted from the day's activities. "LJ is sleeping in your arms. A sleeping child automatically trumps any shooting threat." I looked at him curiously. "What were you going to say?"

He shifted his weight from one foot to another, nervously. "Do you really want to know?"

I pulled on his collar, making him eyelevel with me, and he held on a little tighter to LJ. "Yes, I do." I smiled sweetly. "I'm not going to let go until you tell me."

"All right!" he conceded. "I was going to say, 'in fact, we'll probably be _married_ within the next few years, so I wouldn't run out of inspiration, anyway.' _That's_ what I was going to say, Kate."

I let go of his collar in surprise. He straightened up, shifted the sleeping LJ onto his hip, and pulled me close. "That's not what you were expecting, was it?"

"No." I shook my head and leaned my head against his shoulder. "It wasn't."

Castle kissed me on the top of my head and rested his hand on the side of my belly. "Does the idea marriage scare you?"

I shook my head again and reached over to play with LJ's hair. "No, it doesn't. I would _love_ to be your wife, but I just wasn't expecting you to bring that up, so out of the blue." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. "Now go put LJ down, so you can help me make dinner. LJ already ate, but we," I pointed to my little baby bump. "Are hungry again."

He chuckled as I made my way over to the kitchen. "Okay. I'll be down in a few minutes."

True to his word, Castle rejoined me a few minutes later, just as I was putting water on the stove to boil. After getting the ingredients ready for a meal of my favorite cheese-filled ravioli, garlic bread and fresh green beans, I stopped to lean against the counter.

"Where is Alexis?" I asked curiously, wondering where my friend was. "Will she be joining us?"

Castle smiled. "No, she won't. She's staying the night at Ashley's house."

I smiled back, happy by these turn of events. "She told him about the baby?"

"It appears that way." He replied, stepping close to me. "He answered her phone when I called, and said she was sleeping."

"How cute…" My voice trailed off, and I smiled at the new thought in my head.

"What is it, Kate?"

I looked back at him. "I really think Alexis and Ashley will make it. I can't explain why, but I really think they'll make it, and not just because she's pregnant."

"_This_ from the person who stopped believing in Santa at age three? This would also be the same person who doesn't believe in fate, soul mates, fairies _or_ double rainbows?" He teased.

I thumped him on the chest playfully. "That's different!"

"I know it is," He kissed me on the cheek and went to put the ravioli in the pot. "But I completely agree with you."

The rest of the night went by quietly after that. We finished dinner and then had desert—chocolate ice cream—while watching a movie. Castle wanted to make love when we went upstairs to our, but I was too tired from my long shopping to do it, so I just settled for sleeping in his arms.

We slept peacefully until about two in the morning. That's when LJ's frightened screams filled the air.

Racing out of bed, we bolted down the hallway in LJ's hallway. When we went into her room and turned on the lamp, my heart broke at what I saw. LJ was sitting up in bed, crying her eyes out and screaming. She was also covered in puke, having thrown up in fright.

"LJ!" I cried as we moved toward her. "What happened? Did you have a nightmare?"

Her eyes widened with fear when she saw me. "NO, KATIE!"

And she used my name… that's not a good sign.

"GO 'WAY, KATIE!"

I was taken aback by her words, and stopped moving. Castle, however, moved closer and picked his daughter up, not caring that she was covered in puke. LJ was trembling like a tiny puppy as she pressed closer to her father.

"Hey, LJ," Castle spoke in the calmest voice possible. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Still sobbing, but not yelling, she nodded. "Y-yeah…"

"What happened?" he asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"M-mommy came back, an' she t-tooked me w-wif her!" She erupted into noisy sobs again. "I stay _here!"_

"And you will, princess." He cooed. "I promise. You're _always_ going to be with us."

I moved closer to try to comfort LJ now that she was calmer, but she saw me and freaked out again.

"KATIE, I SAY NO! GO WAY!"

I bit my bottom lip in effort not to cry and stayed where I was. LJ was rejecting me because she had a nightmare about Meredith, and I'm a mother figure to her, but her little brain was too confused to separate things out.

Castle moved closer to me, all though LJ shifted her body so her back was to me, and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"You gonna be all right, KB?"

I nodded, and a few tears fell down my face. "Yes."

He wiped the tears. "You sure?"

"_Yes!"_ I hissed angrily. "Go take care of LJ, and I'll take care of these sheets."

"Kate—"

"_Richard!"_

Sensing that I would hurt him—sick baby in his arms or not—if he pushed the subject any further, he simply nodded and left the room. It wasn't until I heard the water running in the bathroom, that I started crying.

LJ's rejection _hurt._

I'd been expecting something like this to happen, but I didn't think she'd freak out on me like _that. _Things weren't going to be entirely sunshine and rainbows at first and I understood that, but still… that look of fear in her eyes when she saw me… I wasn't likely to forget that any time soon.

LJ is a frightened and confused little girl at heart, despite all the love she's been showing to everybody.

…What if she doesn't want me ever again…?

NO!

She won't be like that!

She just needs time to adjust…

Yeah, that's it.

…But still…

After an hour, and trying not to gag on the stench of puke, (and was that other smell…_urine?_) the soiled sheets were disposed of and fresh ones were put on. I made LJ's bed and headed downstairs to sit on the couch. Knowing LJ, she was probably glued to Castle and would probably freak out on me again if I approached her. I headed downstairs to the couch in the office to think.

Poor LJ… She lives the first three years of her life with her mother, and who _knows_ what happened during those years? It must've been pretty intense if she bolted from Meredith's grasp within the first _minute_ of arriving here….

There was also the part about LJ was so accepting of almost everybody she met when we went to the precinct. She was also enamored with Ryan straight off, but that's probably because he has a cute and dorky personality. LJ probably warmed up to Lanie and Esposito because she probably realized that they're my friends. But then there was Jenny… LJ had been sitting on Jenny's lap when I left the captain's office. It went without saying that LJ latched onto Jenny the way she latched onto Ryan because in her mind, anybody who was married to Ryan would be pretty terrific…

But then, in one night, LJ had a terrible nightmare about her mother _and_ she made herself sick because she was so freaked out. It made sense that she would throw her defenses up around me because I'm a woman, but to see a little girl I barely knew but loved dearly, so scared and shaking in her daddy's arms broke my heart, but made me even more determined to help her somehow.

Why would Meredith hurt her daughter?

Why would _any_ mother be so heartless?

I don't know how long I was on the couch, but I know that I fell asleep whispering to the baby about how I'd help LJ and make sure that everything was going to be okay for or family in the future.

The following morning, I woke up around seven and had a brief bout of morning sickness that I took care of by myself. Going upstairs, I saw that Castle was stretched out on our bed with his arms wrapped around LJ, who was on his chest. Both of them were sound asleep, and my heart felt light when I saw that LJ looked as peaceful as could be in her sleep. I laughed softly when I saw that the blankets were at the foot of the bed, having been kicked back by Castle. I pulled the covers over the sleeping pair just as LJ shivered slightly.

After a quick shower, a new outfit and having some breakfast, I decided that a visit to my dad was in order. I needed to talk to him about everything that had happened since LJ's arrival because I needed comfort (and maybe parenting advice). And knowing my dad, he was probably going to guess right away about my pregnancy. _Nothing_ gets past that man, _ever._

I quickly scribbled a note for Castle and left the loft. Ten minutes later, I was at knocking on the door of the Beckett family home in Prospect Heights. As soon he opened it and I saw him standing in the doorway, relief filled my whole body. He's always been an early riser so I knew that he'd be awake and dressed already.

"Katie," he stepped aside to let me enter. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, dad." I sighed and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. "I have _so_ much to tell you."

He returned my hug. "Well, let's go sit in the living room and talk about it."

I nodded and followed him to the living room and sat down on the couch while he shuffled towards the kitchen.

"I haven't had my coffee yet." He explained. "Would you like some?"

It was a good thing he was already in the kitchen because I opened my mouth to say yes, but quickly shut it when I remembered that the doctor told me to lay off it, and it wasn't good for the baby, anyway…

"No, thanks!" I called out. "I'm good."

He responded with a term of acknowledgement and went about making his coffee, leaving me to settle in. Dad returned a few minutes later, with a steaming cup in his hand and sat down in armchair adjacent to the couch.

"Now, Kate, what is it that's got you so worked up and over here before nine in the morning on a Wednesday?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before answering. "Rick's first ex-wife, Meredith, came by on Monday night."

"Uh-oh. I don't like the sound of that." He commented, taking a sip of coffee. "What did she do?"

"Among other things, she dropped a bombshell on us."

"What would that be?"

"She and Rick have another daughter besides Alexis."

Dad set his cup down on the coffee table. "I was not expecting that answer."

"Yeah, well, we weren't expecting Meredith to show up, much less with a child none of us knew about." I replied. "But that is _so_ Meredith…"

"What's the girl's name?" he asked curiously.

I smiled and pulled out my phone, flipping through a few pictures I had taken yesterday, while we were out shopping before landing on my favorite picture and handing it over.

"Her name is Lily Joy, but she prefers to be called LJ, and she's three." I explained. "I took that picture yesterday while she and I had a shopping day."

In the picture, I'd caught LJ in a very candid moment as she was hopping from one key to the next on the giant piano in FAO Schwartz, and a line of four other kids were following her, doing the same. The look of delight on her face was priceless.

"She's beautiful." He handed my phone back. "What exactly happened on Monday night? I know that look on your face. It means you have a lot on your mind…"

"Oh, daddy…" I sighed a shaky sigh and tears fell down my face. He immediately got up from his chair and sat next to me, holding me close, just like he had after mom died. "Meredith abandoned Lily Joy at the loft with us, and she was slightly abusive to Alexis!"

I started sobbing in his arms, and after a little bit of coaxing, I told him everything that had happened, including Alexis' pregnancy and about how she was engaged, but stopped when I remembered that I hadn't told him about the baby yet. My eyes filled up with tears as I thought about how mom should've been with us to hear the news.

Dad became concerned. "What is it?"

Pulling a tissue out from the tissue box he had found for me earlier, I wiped my tears and blew my nose before answering.

"I _really_ wish mom was here for this, but," I sighed and attempted the best smile I could. "I just found out that I'm almost three months pregnant!"

Dad's joy was instantaneous as he swept me up in a hug and kissed me. He already treats Alexis like a granddaughter, but I knew that he'd been waiting patiently for a very long time for those words.

His joy was apparent in his words when he pulled away to look at me.

"Kate! This is wonderful news! How are you feeling?"

"Other than morning sickness, I feel great." I laughed. "Castle was _very _excited when I told him. Martha is ecstatic about becoming a grandmother for the third time, and Alexis is happy, too, even though my timing with my announcement wasn't perfect."

"Why's that?"

"Because she'd been having a _really_ bad day and my pregnancy reminded her of her own."

"But she's all right?"

I nodded, smiling at the thought of how Alexis was probably still at Ashley's house. "She is, from what I gathered. Alexis is very tough, and there's more to her than meets the eye. She's going to need a lot of love and support, especially because she wants to keep her baby, but we're going to do everything to make sure she gets what she needs. She's going to make it."

"Well, that's good to know."

"Yes, it is…" I murmured, voice trailing off.

"But…?" Dad prompted.

"But I feel so confused about everything."

"Like what?"

"Well, first there's Rick and I. He mentioned marriage."

Dad raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Rick didn't propose, but he mentioned how he wants to get married in the next few years."

"What did you say?"

"I told him that I'd love to be his wife—I love him more than any other man I've been with—but he brought it up, completely out of the blue. The subject was dropped after that."

"All right." He nodded. "What about the girls? What about Alexis' baby?"

I laughed a little. "I've been living in the loft for just over a year, but I've loved Alexis like she was mine from birth. She told me once that she talks to me more than she talks to Meredith. Lex calls me 'mom' sometimes." I rested a hand on my belly, wishing that that the baby didn't make my stomach feel so fluttery in the mornings. "I love LJ the same way. She called me 'mama' the first night she was with us, and she still does."

"Well," Dad smiled. "You have a big heart, Katie. In one of my last conversations with your mother, she said—completely out of the blue—that you'd be a good mother when that time came for you."

I looked at him in surprise. "You never said that before."

He squeezed my hand affectionately. "That's because I was waiting for the right time."

A wry smile crossed my lips. "Like right now? Even though I'm pretty much a mom to Alexis and I became a mom overnight to a very sad and confused little girl?" I hung my head as a new thought crossed my mind. "I'm going to be mom _and_ a grandmother, and I'm thirty-two!"

He chuckled. "When Alexis has her baby, that'll make me a great-granddad, but you don't see me complaining. I'm actually happy because there will be two babies for me to spoil." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "But yes, Kate, this moment, right now, is _exactly_ what your mother was talking about."

"The coming together of mine and Rick's family is _very_ unconventional," I admitted. "But I already know that wouldn't have it any other way." I looked up at him. "Do you think I'm going to be a good mom?"

"You'll be better than good—you're going to be _amazing."_ I smiled gratefully at his words. "Well, from what I've seen when I watch you with Alexis, it's clear that she loves you dearly." He observed. "It sounds like LJ adores you, even though she freaked out on you. She just needs time to sort herself out."

I breathed a sigh of relief at his words. "I needed to hear those words about LJ sorting herself out."

"Feel better?"

"Much." I nodded.

"Well, that's great because I was also going to say that you're going to be amazing with the little one that's on the way. Same with Alexis' baby, even though you're going to grandmother to that one." He paused thoughtfully. "Next to your mother, you have the biggest heart of anybody I know. A heart," he added. "That is overflowing with love."

Too overwhelmed by the kindness of his words, all I could do was smile through my tears and whisper softly to him. "Thank you, daddy."

We lapsed into a peaceful silence for a few minutes, but it was once more disrupted by my tears.

"I'm sorry." I reached for more tissue and blew my nose. "I'm sorry I keep crying."

"It's okay to cry, Katie." He soothed, wiping my tears and brushing my hair out of my face. "It's perfectly okay. You're pregnant _and_ you've been thrown into a _crazy_ situation that _nobody_ would ever expect to find themselves in. You have _every_ right to cry."

I nodded, but didn't respond. Being my dad, he knew exactly what was on my mind.

"You're really missing mom right now, aren't you?"

"You have _no_ idea…"

He paused for a second, thinking. "Do you want to go pay her a visit? Bring her flowers?"

I answered him without missing a beat. "Yes, please."

Dad and I got up and left the apartment together, making a pit stop at a flower shop on the way to the cemetery to pick up a bouquet of lilies, mom's favorite flower. When we arrived at the cemetery and walked out to mom's headstone, I saw that somebody had already been there before us because we saw a bouquet of lilies already lying there. I was puzzled by this, but dad said he didn't know, and that I should just consider it an act of kindness. I accepted his words reluctantly and watched him walk away to give me some space.

I turned to the headstone and laid my bouquet next to the other one. Kneeling down, I spoke with a tenderness that reminded me of when I was cuddling LJ in my arms yesterday morning.

"Hi, mommy…"

**AN: **What do you think? Just press that little button down there to let me know. Reviews = gold stars AND they make my day :D

**P.S.: **Beckett's dad lives in a Brooklyn neighborhood. I researched it.


	6. Freak Outs

**DISCLAIMER: **None of it's mine. Except for Lily Joy and any other name you don't recognize.

**CHAPTER 6: FREAK OUTS**

_Alexis' Point of View_

When I woke up around eight thirty the next morning, the first thing I took notice of was that I was not in my own my own bed, and I was wearing a large t-shirt that was obviously not meant for someone of my size. Looking around, I realized that I was in Ashley's bed, and he was next to me, sound asleep in just his boxers, and his arm was wrapped around my waist, holding me close to him. Remembering back to last night, I realized that the shirt was Ashley's because he let me borrow it.

I sat up and looked back down at Ashley, and I could feel my heart filling up with so much love for him. Even though neither of us talked about it directly yesterday, we both knew that we were together again, and we were in each other's lives to _stay_ this time.

The churning and gurgling of my stomach ruined the moment.

In one swift motion, I placed a hand over my mouth and extracted myself from Ashley's hold to run into his bathroom, waking him up in the process. I barely made it before throwing up into the toilet. Ashley was at my back as soon as he figured out what was going on. He held my hair back and took care of me. His parents came when they heard the noise, but Ashley assured them he had everything under control. They left, saying that they would help if we wanted them to.

Completely spent, I sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall, feeling very hot, sweaty and a little disgusting. Ashley flushed the toilet and joined me on the floor.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled. "I'm sorry you and your parents had to see that."

"It's all right, Alexis." He lovingly wiped my face with a cool washcloth. "Morning sickness comes with the territory of being pregnant, doesn't it?"

I nodded, taking the towel from him and placing it on the back of my neck.

"It does, but I just wish that this little one wasn't so brutal." I sighed wistfully. "I can't wait until it's done…"

He smiled. "Speaking of being done, I see that you're done being sick."

"Don't be so obtuse." I replied in a playful sarcastic manner.

"I'm not." Ashley held up his hands in mock surrender. "But I was going to tell you that you're welcome to use my shower to get cleaned up." He stood up and pulled me to my feet. "I'll lay out some sweats for you on my bed, and you can wear those. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great. Thanks, Ash."

"You're welcome." He kissed the back of my hand gently. "Lex?"

"Yes?"

"I love you. You know that, right?"

"I do," I put my hands on my hips and looked him. "But you're supposed to use that line when I'm as big as a whale, and I'm barely showing right now!"

"But I _do_ love you, Alexis, and believe me, by the time everybody sees that you're growing a baby in there," He put a hand on my belly in a slightly possessive manner, just like how he'd held me when we slept. "I _will_ be saying 'I love you' because I mean it, but I _could_ be saying a lot more besides that."

My boyfriend winked and I turned bright red when I realized what he was getting at. Shooing him out of the bathroom, I shut the door and turned the water on. I was completely lost to the world while I took my shower, but when I turned off the water and wrapped myself in a towel, I was suddenly hit with a strong craving for cheese on toast, having craved it since the early days of my pregnancy.

Deciding to see if Ashley would make it for me when I went down, I went out into his bedroom and saw a pair of grey sweatpants next to a clean t-shirt. Slipping both of them on, I looked a little further on the bed and noticed a black hoodie with a note attached to it. The note consisted of two words. _'Keep me.' _Turning the hoodie over, I saw the _Batman_ logo and realized that this was Ashley's favorite hoodie, and he was giving it to me. I didn't try to zip it, knowing that it would be too snug on my belly. Leaving my wet hair to dry, I headed downstairs to find Ashley at the kitchen table and Molly in the kitchen. Looking out the window as I sat down at kitchen table next to Ashley, I didn't see Seamus' car in the driveway, so I assumed that he was at work.

Molly read my mind. "Seamus has gone off to work, so it's just you, me, and Ashley. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, I am." I nodded. "Could I please have some toast with cheese on it? I've been craving that almost every day."

Molly nodded and opened her mouth to respond, but didn't get anywhere because she was cut off by a scraping noise, quickly followed by the sound of a body falling to the floor. We both looked over at Ashley and saw that he was getting up from having tripped in his haste to get to the kitchen.

"Easy, Tiger." I chuckled. "I take it that you were going to make breakfast for me?"

"Yes, I was."

"Don't you have school?"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it, Lex." He headed to the kitchen, where his mother was getting the ingredients ready. "I'm _going_ to make you some breakfast."

Molly chuckled at her son's childish determination. "So long as you don't break your arm—or anything else—like you did on Mother's Day when you were five. All you did was bring me breakfast in bed…"

"Mom!" Ashley protested as he grated the cheese. "Lex doesn't need to know that story!"

I decided to push Ashley's buttons. "Yes, I do. What happened? How does someone break their arm bringing someone else breakfast in bed?"

Ashley resigned to making my cheesy toast as his mother sat across the table from me and began to recount the story to me. After breakfast, all three of us sat at the kitchen table, telling different childhood stories, and as much as I wanted to stay with them, I felt like I was needed at home.

"You all right?" Ashley asked in concern. "What are you thinking about?"

I turned to him. "I feel like I should be home, with my family. I just can't put my finger on why."

He nodded understandingly. "Okay. Let's go upstairs and get your things together."

We left Molly and went to Ashley's room. After making sure that I had everything together, I was just in the doorway when my phone chimed, signaling that I had a new text. Thinking it was from dad or Kate; I opened it, but sank to my knees in fright when I saw who it was from. Ashley was by my side in a second.

"What is it?"

I looked at him with tears in my eyes, and my voice was just above a whisper.

"It's from Conrad."

Concern immediately crossed his features. "What does it say?"

"'_Hello, Alexis.'"_ I read aloud. _"'I just wanted to let you know that I'll be around sometime in the near future. I'm not going to tell you when, but I will warn you to watch your back and keep your loved ones close.'"_

I dropped my phone on the floor and began to cry. "I don't want to see him again!"

Ashley put my phone back in my hand and helped me to my feet before pulling me into a hug.

"I'll protect you, Alexis." He promised, touching his forehead to mine. "Come what will or come what may, I promise I'll protect you and the baby both."

His words calmed me down and I nodded, wiping my tears. "Thank you, so much."

Ashley just smiled and put his arm around me. "Come on, I'll walk you out to your car."

We left the house and went outside to where my car was parked. I bid him one last goodbye before getting into my car and driving back to Manhattan. I ran into Kate in the parking garage, and we rode the elevator back up to the loft.

_Kate's Point of View_

After leaving the cemetery, I dropped dad back off at home before driving back to the loft. I received a call from Castle halfway there, and he informed me that LJ was ready to apologize because she had sent herself on a guilt trip when she woke up and realized that I wasn't there. Parking my car in the garage, and getting out, I ran into Alexis, who was just getting back from Ashley's house.

On the elevator ride up, I filled her in about what happened last night, and gave her a brief description of what happened at my dad's house and at the cemetery with the first bouquet of lilies. She was intrigued by the flowers, but had no wild theory like dad usually would, so I attempted to lighten her mood.

"You're wearing the same shoes as yesterday, but baggy sweatpants and a baggy hoodie, huh?" I bumped her shoulder playfully. "What exactly did you _do_ yesterday?"

Alexis turned bright red. I smirked, seeing that I caught her off guard. "Kate! We didn't do _that!"_

The elevator doors slid open; we disembarked, heading down the hall to our front door.

"Are you sure?" I teased. "You know you can tell me anything…especially boys and everything that comes with that."

"I know, but we _didn't _do it _last _night." I raised an eyebrow when I realized what she insinuating. "All though," There was a witty edge to her tone that was a lot like her father's. "I'll tell you about next time."

I fed the birds with her. "You're on, Lex." We arrived at the front door. "Now let's go in and see your dad, Martha and LJ."

She fished her keys out of her purse and put them in the lock. "Let's."

**AN: **Reviews and gold stars :D


	7. Talks of Adoption

**DISCLAIMER: **Since Andrew W. Marlowe thought of this wonderful show first, that means it's his and not mine. Oh, well…

**CHAPTER 7: TALKS OF ADOPTION**

_Alexis' Point of View_

Kate and I had barely stepped foot in the loft when we both heard an excited squeal and the sound of tiny bare feet running across the hardwood floor. Kate saw LJ coming and crouched down to catch her. LJ gave Kate a huge hug, and I was sure that LJ was using every ounce of strength to let Kate know how sorry she was.

Dad, Gram and I stood together and watched the two exchange words.

"Mama," LJ's voice was raspy, and it sounded like she was making a recovery from losing her voice. "I sorry 'bout yesterday."

"It's all right, baby girl." Kate kissed LJ on the forehead. "You were just scared, weren't you?"

"Yeah." LJ bobbed her little head up and down, making her hair fall in her face. "I scared about my nigh'mare, but daddy was there when I waked up."

"Did he keep your nightmares away?"

"Yeah, he did." LJ ran her fingers through the end of Kate's long brown curls. "Daddy say to me that I'm his baby." She tapped her chest and then tapped Kate's chest. "I still yours?"

We saw tears fill Kate's eyes as she hugged the LJ close, and whisper something in her ear, earning her a kiss before LJ wiggled out of Kate's arms and ran off to play with her toys. Kate walked over to dad and the two of them shared a hug before turning back to Gram and me. Dad motioned for all three of us to gather close and spoke in hushed tones.

"I've been on the phone with the adoption agency this morning," He informed us. My heart leapt into my throat at his words. When I looked at the others, I saw Gram was smiling happily, but there was a look of pure joy on Kate's face that I couldn't put into words. "And they are going to stop by tomorrow morning around ten to do a house inspection, and then go over paperwork." Dad continued. "If everything goes according to plan, LJ will be Lily Joy Stana Beckett-Castle, and she'd be living with us by the end of the week."

Gram straightened up and patted dad on the arm. "Well, with a name like that, LJ is going to have a lot to live up to, but it's a beautiful name, nonetheless, and it's going to be nice to have her running around here."

"She and I are going to have a lot of fun together." I observed. "That name is bigger than she is, and she's going to have a lot of honor to live up to, since she'll be a Beckett, too. She's already very spunky…" We all looked over at Kate, who was still quiet. "Kate?"

_Kate's Point of View_

I came back to my senses as Alexis said my name. Patting her hand absently, I walked over to Castle, having eyes for only him right now.

"Adopting LJ and giving her my name, that'll work?" I asked softly. "It would work even though we aren't…_married?"_

"Yes, it will." He assured me. "You'd have full custody over her, too." My knees buckled at his words, and he held me steady, putting his hands in the small of my back as I held onto his arms. "And no, I didn't have to jump through any hoops for that."

"Then how is she going to be ours by the end of the week?"

He laughed and pulled me close in a hug. "When are you going to learn, KB, that I have people everywhere?"

"I don't know." I laughed. "It'll take a few more times…"

Alexis cleared her throat and we both looked over.

"Pardon me for interrupting," she said. "But does LJ know about any of this? We should tell her soon. We need to tell her about the babies, too…"

We all looked back at the little girl who was happily playing on the living room floor with her toys, and then back at each other. Martha spoke up first.

"As the oldest parent in this situation, I would advise you two," she gestured between Castle and me. "To tell her about the adoption first, and tell her about the babies afterward. She's a smart kid, but it's still a lot for a little kid to process. The last thing we need is for her to have another meltdown…"

I nodded. "Good idea." I looked at Castle. "Should we tell her about the adoption now?"

"Yes, we should."

Martha, Alexis, Castle, and I went to the living room and sat down on the couch. I looked at Castle to see if he was ready to talk to her, but he looked like he was still gathering his thoughts. I laughed to myself when I realized that I knew what to say before he did. LJ, as clever as ever, had picked up on the fact that something important was about to happen because she had stopped playing and had gotten up to watch us.

I held my arms out to her. "Come here, Baby Bird." She toddled over obediently and let me pull her up into my lap. Castle and I moved closer together, and the other two watched silently. "Daddy and I need to have a talk with you."

The little girl became slightly alarmed. "I do something wrong?"

Castle shook his head and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "No, you didn't. This is a good thing."

She nodded. "What?"

"What do you think about daddy and me being your parents forever?"

Her eyes went wide with excitement as she realized what the words meant, and her whole body shook with excitement. She looked from Castle to me as she tried to relax.

"R-really? I be daddy's _and_ yours forever?" She looked at me and there was nothing but pure hope in her eyes. "I already yours and daddy's, but now forever?"

"That's right, LJ." I whispered happily to her. "What do you think?"

"I like it, mommy!" she declared, making my heart leap. "I like it!"

LJ gave me a tight hug before crawling into Castle's lap and spoke to him with complete three-year-old sincerity. "Daddy, when I be yours an' mama's forever?"

"By the end of the week—a few more sleeps."

"Okay…" she looked over at Martha and Alexis. "Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"What about Gram an' Lexie?"

"Gram will still be your Gram," he explained. "But Lexie will be your big sister now."

"Lex be LJ's big sisser forever and ever? LJ have forever family?" My heart turned over at her words. "Is it true?"

Castle gave her a hug and kiss. "Yes, princess, it's all true. You're going to have a forever family now."

LJ clapped her hands in excitement, obviously having understood what her father had meant and returned the hug and kiss before hurrying over to Martha and Alexis to talk to them about everything that had just happened. I leaned up against Castle and rested my head on his shoulder as he snaked his arm around my waist, bringing his palm to rest on my belly.

My mind was running in so many different directions, but I did pay attention when Castle whispered in my ear.

"What are you thinking about tonight, KB?"

I sighed contently. "I'm just happy, Castle. This is just one of those times where I live for the moment of joy that can't be put into words. It's just…a feeling."

Castle kissed me on the top of the head. "Then I'm glad I can be here in this moment with you."

**AN: **Sorry it's another short one! They'll get longer soon, I promise! As always, though: reviews = gold stars


	8. Adoption Day

**DISCALIMER: **LJ and any other person you don't recognize are mine. Other than that… they're the creations of Andrew W. Marlowe, and they belong to him. I'm just… borrowing them. Yeah, that's it.

**CHAPER 8: ADOPTION DAY**

_Kate's Point of View_

A few hours after a social worker came to inspect the loft the next morning, we received a phone call saying that we passed the inspection with flying colors. All Castle and I had to was to go downtown to sign the papers, and LJ was ours. Thanks to Castle "having a person everywhere," we were able to have the adoption finalized within the hour. Martha and Alexis, along with Judge Ryder and even Mayor Hansen, two of Castle's oldest friends, were the witnesses. We went to dinner afterward so we could celebrate, but that was a real blur because all LJ wanted to do was build a fort in Alexis' room with her, watch "a million" Disney Princess movies and sleep.

Castle and I let the girls do just that while we made a few phone calls: Castle called Paula, so she could take care of the press. He called Gina, just so she wouldn't freak out on any of us. (She's always going to be Castle's second ex-wife, but she's a little nicer than Meredith) I, on the other hand, was thankful to the inventors of three-way phone conversations and called Lanie and Jenny, and we made plans to plan a party to celebrate LJ's adoption. They came over during LJ's naptime and even roped Alexis into helping us. Castle tried to intervene at one point, begging to help, but Alexis reminded him of the last birthday party he planned for her. It was her fifteenth, and somehow the food caught on fire, thus ruining everything. Castle conceded defeat and left to go spend few hours with the guys at the Old Haunt, leaving Alexis, Lanie, Jenny and me to plan the party.

Party Day—Saturday—finally arrived. When I woke up and got out of bed, I glanced at the date on the calendar and smiled happily.

Castle came up behind me and kissed my neck gently. "What's got you so excited?"

"Well, it's just that today is the thirty first, meaning that I'm officially three months pregnant today." I lifted up my nightshirt to look at my belly and gasped in delight when I noticed that my belly was more pronounced than it had been the last time I looked closely at it. "And look at this, Rick!" I supported the underside of my belly with one hand and turned to look at him, and cried happy tears. "You can really see my belly now!"

He kissed my neck again and knelt in front me so he was eye level with my belly.

"Hey, in there!" he called gently. "I just wanted to let you know that you're making your mommy _very_ happy by showing yourself." I laughed as Castle put an ear to my belly and pretended to be listening. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea, too." He gave my belly a gentle pat before standing up again. "The baby wants me to run something by you."

I put my hands on my hips. "Oh, yeah? And how do _you_ know what the baby is thinking? Need I remind you who the baby is inside of?"

He shuddered in slight disgust. "No!"

"Well, then what did he say to you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "'He'? Do you know something I don't?"

"_Castle!" _I clapped my hands together in front of his face. _"Focus!"_

That did the trick because he cleared his throat and got back on topic. "Right. I was going to suggest that we tell our friends about the baby later."

I nodded in agreement. The idea had a lot of merit. "All right, but when? This party is about LJ, and I don't want to take the attention away from her when she's in the room."

Castle thought about it for a second. "Well, seeing as this party _is_ all about her, I wouldn't be surprised if she 'accidentally-on-purpose' gets hold off a lot of sugar."

I leaned against the sink and shook my head in despair. "Oh, no. A hyperactive nine-year-old is bad enough, but a hyperactive three-year-old, _too?_ Stuff of nightmares…"

"You wound me, Kate." Castle pretended to be hurt for a second, but straightened back up. "Seriously, though. If there's one thing I know about kids and sugar, it's that after the high, they _always_ crash." He snapped his fingers. "Out like a light."

"Sounds like you're talking from experience."

He laughed hollowly. "No kidding! Three-year-old Alexis on chocolate was a nightmare…"

"Well," I put a hand on the spot where I could feel the baby fluttering around. "Hopefully this little one will take after me and not be as crazy as his daddy."

"Hey, I'm not _th—"_ Castle started to protest but stopped when he realized something and looked carefully at me. "'_His_ daddy'? Again: do you know something I don't?"

I smiled playfully. "No, I don't. Mother's instinct, Rick."

"A son would be amazing—"

"And after being surrounded by women for most of your life, you wouldn't know what to do with yourself…"

He just raised an eyebrow at me and continued on as if I hadn't interrupted him. "But aren't you at least _willing_ to entertain the notion of another daughter?"

"Of course I am, Rick," I walked up to him slowly and he started back up towards the bathroom door. My voice became a little huskier. "And I _do_ consider that possibility, _but,_" I kissed him senseless and laughed when I saw that I'd sent his mind reeling. "I think that we should try to make a daughter next time, too."

Castle blinked out of his confusion. "N-next time? As in you want another baby after this one? You already know?"

I continued advancing on him and he was in the doorframe now. He was holding onto the doorframe by his fingertips, and my hand was on his chest, getting ready to push him out.

"Yes," I told him. "I think I want to make up for me, you, Alexis and LJ spending all of our lives as only children or not knowing that we had another sibling."

His eyes grew wide as he did the math. "Kate, if I'm counting right, that means you want _four_ kids?"

I nodded. "Brilliant, Sherlock." A sudden Beckett family fact made its way across my brain. This would drive him nuts. "And you know what else?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask…"

"Twins run in my family, too."

I laughed as he went pale. "T-twins?" he stammered. "Why didn't you ever bring that up before?"

I shrugged. "Never came up." I gave him a gentle shove and he let go of the doorframe and stumbled back into the bedroom as I shut the door. "Now please leave me be while I get ready. Go check on the girls!"

"Your wish is my command, M'lady!" he called through the door before leaving the room.

When I was sure I was alone, I began to cry.

Yes, twins did run in my family, but they had been the two babies that mom had lost before me because they were stillborn. My parents had named them Natalie and Charlotte, and they would be thirty-five by now, only two years older than me. My shoulders shook as I thought of my third sibling, also a girl. I had the privilege of naming her Evangeline. She didn't make it to term because mom got into a car accident, and miscarried her. I had just turned thirteen when that happened, and I remember it like yesterday because I was there. Evangeline would be just a few months older than Alexis is now. Only my close circle of friends knows that mom lost three babies, but I'd never told anybody—not even Lanie or Castle—what their names were.

The baby decided to drag my head out of the clouds by letting me know it was time for my daily conversation with the toilet. That, as well as taking a shower to clean myself up, kept me occupied for awhile. Thankfully, I knew what I was going to wear for LJ's party, having picked it out last night: a simple emerald green maternity dress that I had snagged while LJ and I were out shopping. The dress itself was a flutter design calf-length dress complete with flutter-style sleeves and a white embroidered flower design at the hem. My baby bump was visible, but subtle. I put on a little bit of makeup, nothing too spectacular, slipped on my necklace and was just combing out my hair when I heard a knock on the door. I called out for the person to enter, and saw that it was Alexis.

"Wow, Kate." She admired my look. "You look really pretty."

I turned to look at her. "So do you, Lex. Did you mean to wear green, too?"

Alexis grinned impishly and twirled around in a baby doll dress, which just happened to be the same shade of emerald. She wore her favorite necklace around her neck and white flats on her feet. Her hair was pushed back with a long emerald silk hair ribbon serving as a headband.

"Maybe someone snuck a look at your wardrobe last night." She teased as she ran a second hair ribbon through her fingers. "Maybe someone was looking for something to borrow."

I shook my head and laughed. "Maybe I should tell that someone that while she already has _lots_ of clothes, she's welcome to borrow anything, as long as she _asks_ me first."

Alexis bowed. "Duly noted. You win."

I eyed the hair ribbon in her fingers and looked at her curiously. "What's with the hair ribbon?"

"I came in to see if you wanted me to braid your hair, or something. LJ spent a half hour begging me to braid her hair and dress her because she likes green, too. Anyway…" She held up the ribbon. "Do you want me to do something? I can do French braids, too."

I sat down in a nearby chair and smiled. "A French braid would be lovely."

Alexis returned my smile and began to do my hair. We got to talking about all sorts of things of things, but by the time she was done, and I was complimenting her on her handiwork, my heart felt a little heavy because I was thinking about my sisters, particularly Isabella, and what she would've been like.

Alexis, being like her dad, saw through my façade and became concerned. "Are you all right, Kate?" She held one hand to her belly, and held my hand with the other. "There's something on your heart, isn't there?"

I nodded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm going to tell you something in confidence, okay?"

Her voice was one of complete sincerity. "I won't say a word. I promise."

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying not to cry. "Just a few people in my inner circle know that my mom lost three babies, and that I'm the only one who made it this far in life." Her eyes widened slightly at my words. "I've just never told anybody anything about them, and I need to tell someone, so I can get it off my chest."

"You can tell me, Kate." Ever since I moved into the loft last year, Alexis and I have become very close, and we've become each others' confidants. "Tell me about them."

"The first two were twin girls named Natalie and Charlotte, and they'd be thirty-five. They… were still born. I wasn't born yet, so obviously, I don't remember." Alexis looked like she was going to say something, but changed her mind and let me continue. "But…"

"But…?" She prompted.

"But my third sister," I sighed. "She'd be your age."

My friend raised an eyebrow. "Really? What was her name?"

"Evangeline. Her name was Evangeline, and mom miscarried her after we were in an accident." A single tear fell down my face, and she leaned over and wiped it away before my makeup got too ruined. "I see you, Alexis, and I sometimes wonder what things would be like if that accident hadn't happened. I wonder if she—and Natalie and Charlotte—would be having a conversation with us on a very important day in their niece's life, but I also wonder if you and Evangeline would've been friends."

"I'm sure we would be _best_ friends." She reached over and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. "You're _my_ best friend these days, so I think it stands to reason that Evangeline and I would've gotten along really well, too."

I stood up and gave her a big hug. "Thanks, Alexis."

She was about to reply, but a new voice joined the conversation. "Lexie? You an' mama in here? Daddy say I get dressed now."

Turning, we saw LJ wandering toward us. She smiled when she spotted us and ran over, but Alexis bent over and put her hand on top of her head, effectively stopping her sister in her tracks.

"Lexie!" LJ protested in an annoyed tone. "What I do?"

Alexis moved her hand away and straightened up. "You're wearing your breakfast on your _face, _and you're probably _sticky, _too."

LJ giggled and hid her own hands behind her back. "I not sticky, Lexie!"

"Right…" she turned LJ around and gave her a gentle nudge towards the door. "Go meet me in the bathroom."

LJ stomped her foot. "I _say_ I not sticky!"

"Whatever you say, little sis." Alexis gave her another nudge. "Scoot, LJ before I tickle you!"

These words elicited a happy squeal from LJ as she bolted from the room, knowing that Alexis was _very_ good at tickling.

I chuckled. "You're going to be a good mom, Alexis."

She just smiled and left to answer her sister's calls from down the hallway. I looked after her and left the room, too, knowing that my baby was going to be blessed with two very amazing sisters. I found Castle waiting at the island for me with breakfast.

"Finally!" Castle pushed a plate of bacon and eggs toward me. "What were you three _doing_ up there?"

"Oh, nothing." I spoke in a singsong voice. "But I might tell you if you pour me a glass of orange juice."

He looked like an excited little boy and eagerly obeyed. "Really?"

"No!" I took a drink of my juice. "Where's Martha?"

"She'll be around later. She has things to take care of on Broadway."

I just nodded, my mind wandering to other things. A few minutes later, we heard the girls' footsteps on the stairs, and LJ's happy jabbering as she jumped off the last step and ran into Castle's waiting arms. She giggled hysterically as he picked her up and put her on the counter, making airplane noises in the process.

LJ clapped her hands happily and looked at both of us. "I look pretty now? Lexie letted me to borrow one of her hair flowers," she touched a white rose clip in her hair. "An' now she maked me look _really_ pretty."

Alexis had been right about LJ liking the color green because she was wearing a toddler-sized party dress that we had picked out during our trip to FAO Schwartz. The dress was emerald, just like mine and Alexis,' but this dress was decorated with tiny white polka dots and had a white sash tied in the back. Alexis had also been right about LJ asking for braids because her hair was parted neatly down the middle and divided neatly into long pigtails, tied off with green hair ribbons. As LJ swung her feet, I saw that a pair of transparent sparkly jelly shoes on them, probably a gift from Alexis.

A part of me knew that deep down inside, LJ was still hurt, but the expression on my little girl's face was one of pure happiness.

"Oh, Lily Joy," I sighed, kissing her little hands. "You are _very_ pretty."

Castle picked her up and gave her a big hug and squeeze. "You look just like a princess."

"Tank you, daddy!" She leaned against his shoulder and snuggled close to him. "Love you."

The doorbell rang just then and the two of them went to go answer it, Castle saying something about the caterers being right on time. I turned to Alexis and motioned for her to come help me direct things, and she happily obliged.

A few hours later, the party was in full swing, and LJ was happily running around, playing with her toys, and talking to all her new aunts and uncles. The only people she didn't refer to as aunt and uncle were the Kerrigans because once she made the connections that Ashley was at least very special to Alexis, and that Seamus and Molly were his parents, she regarded all three of them with revered awe, the same way she regarded Ryan and Jenny.

Speaking of those two, once we announced to everybody that Ryan and Jenny had accepted the role of being LJ's godparents, and LJ understood what that meant, she wouldn't let either one of them out of her sight. That gave me time to steal away to Lanie, who was leaning against the island, looking a little out of sorts and rubbing her belly absently. Her gaze looked like it was boring a hole into the floor.

"Hey," I touched Lanie's shoulder gently and she looked at me. "Are you all right?"

She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'm okay, girl."

I raised an eyebrow at her. After knowing her for thirteen years, I knew when she was lying. "No, you're not, Lanie. What's going on? I haven't seen you this…disoriented _or _sad since the night we met and you told me about Jenner."

Lanie's eyes twinkled briefly at the mention of her deceased sister. The two of them had been very close before Jenner passed away thirteen years ago.

"Okay," Lanie sighed. "You caught me. There is something wrong."

"Not with the baby, I hope?"

She shook her head and patted her slightly noticeable belly. "No, _mi pequeño amor_ is perfectly fine. It's just…me…"

Pain was in her eyes again, and it was starting to make my heart hurt. "Please tell me what's bothering you. We'll go talk upstairs."

"No, Kate. Not today. I'm not going to take you away from LJ's special day."

We glanced over at LJ, who was sitting on the couch next to Alexis and was deeply enthralled with a story that Ashley was telling them. How Ryan and Jenny had gotten away was anybody's guess.

"Lanie—" I tried.

She shook her head yet again. "Uh-uh, girl. Come visit me in the morgue when you're back at work."

"But that won't be until the week after next!" I protested. "How am I supposed to not worry about you until then?"

"Something tells me that you're going to have other things to keep you busy."

She nodded towards LJ, who came running up to me with an excited look on her face. I turned my attention to her.

"Hey, Baby Bird!" I greeted her with enthusiasm. "What's up?"

"Mama, Daddy say I open _presents_ now!" She tugged at my fingers, trying to make me follow her. "Please to hurry up wif Aunt Lanie!"

I looked at Lanie, and she just laughed and shooed me away, and I let LJ lead me to the couch, whereupon she instructed me to sit down next to Castle with the most authoritative voice she could manage for a three-year-old. (A few people chuckled, making remarks about how she was definitely my daughter because she had the bossy part down. Ryan and Esposito fed the birds with each other.) LJ got an insane amount of toys from everybody, and I was surprised that she didn't crack under the pressure, because in this case, the word 'everybody' really _did_ mean all of my family, and all of my friends who have become my family over the years: Castle, Alexis, Martha, my dad and I; the Kerrigans; Ryan and Jenny; Esposito and Lanie; Karpowski; Captain Montgomery and his family; all of Castle's poker buddies; Judge Ryder and Mayor Hansen; Paula; Gina, and even Perlmutter. However, LJ's favorite gift was the very last one, and it was from Ryan and Jenny.

Alexis, who had been distributing gifts at this point, pushed a large basket-shaped package wrapped in paper across the floor toward her sister.

"Who this one from, Lexie?" LJ was now sitting on the floor and leaning against my legs. She only had eyes for Alexis. "Who this one from?"

"This one is from Uncle Ryan and Aunt Jenny." Alexis explained patiently. "Do you want me to help you open it?"

"No tank you, Lexie." LJ replied sweetly. Even though Meredith had damaged LJ so much, she had still taught her good manners. "I do it."

LJ proceeded to rip off the wrapping paper, and when she what was inside the basket, she gave a squeal of delight and uttered a single word. _"Piggy!"_

Ryan and Jenny had given her a wicker basket with all of the books about the popular children's book character, Olivia the Pig, as well as an Olivia the Pig doll. LJ promptly picked up the doll and hugged it tightly before picking up the first book on the pile and hurrying toward her godparents, asking them to read her a story, thus signaling the end of present time. LJ was sound asleep in less than ten minutes because just as Castle had predicted, she had a major sugar crash.

I moved to pick her up off Jenny's lap, but Esposito and Lanie intervened.

"I got it, boss." Esposito assured me and he effortlessly picked the sleeping child up in his arms. "We can put her in her room."

I looked at him and then at Lanie, and saw her eyes were filled with pain again. She _needed_ this. "All right. You know where her room is."

They both nodded and turned toward the stairs. I watched them go, but not for long because Castle pulled me into an empty corner, out of everybody's earshot.

"Okay, LJ's sleeping now. Do we want to tell everybody about _our_ baby before people start getting ready to go?"

He only mentioned ours because Alexis had accidentally let it slip about her pregnancy, and the rest of the adults in the room knew in less than ten minutes. LJ had remained in La-La Land the whole time.

"Yes," I nodded. "But I want to wait until Esplanie comes back down."

"Kudos to you for using that nickname." Castle held up his fingers and we fed the birds. "I never thought I'd see the day when you would use a nickname that I invented just over a year ago on Temptation Lane."

I rolled my eyes and was about to have a witty comeback when I saw our friends had come back down and were chatting with the others in the living room again.

"C'mon, Rick. You'll be able to get her attention better than I can."

We held hands and walked over to the edge of the living room. Castle cleared his throat. Everybody heard him right away and turned their attention to us.

"Kate and I have an announcement to make," he slipped an arm around my waist. "But you all have to _promise_ not to tell LJ until we give the green light or she talks about it, whichever comes first."

Everybody nodded feverishly and looked at me expectantly. I smiled and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. Best to just be straightforward with them…

"I'm going to have a baby!"

Everybody who didn't already know about my pregnancy cheered louder than those who did.

Later on, after everything was said and done, and even the caterers were gone, and Alexis had informed us she was going to hang out with Ashley, Castle and I went upstairs to check on LJ. She was sound asleep, tucked in underneath her comforter blanket. Olivia the pig was tucked tightly under her arm. LJ was snoring gently.

I leaned against Castle as we stood in the doorway and whispered to him. "So this is what it's like to be a parent and watch your kid sleep, huh?"

"Yeah." He whispered back. "After Meredith left, I would watch Alexis sleep. She figured it out after awhile, but asked me to keep watching her so I could keep her nightmares away. She called me her knight in shining armor."

"That is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard."

"Do think that I can be LJ's knight in shining armor, too?"

The tone in which he asked me the question tugged at my heartstrings and hormones, so turned around and gave him a huge hug.

"Richard Alexander Castle," I used his real name on him, making him pay full attention to me. "Someway, somehow, LJ saw straight into your heart and _knew_ that you love her and protect her forever. You already _are_ her knight in shining armor."

Castle gave me a kiss on the forehead. "Thanks, Kate."

"Any time."

We turned and looked over at LJ, who had changed positions in her sleep and was now facing toward us, her toy still under her arm. There was a huge grin on LJ's face.

Yes, she came from a messed up background, but things were different now and getting better, little by little.

LJ knew she was warm and wanted,

Cherished,

Safe,

Loved.

**AN: **Y'all get gold stars so long as you review and don't get technical on me about Kate's sisters or the length of her and Lanie's friendship. And if you want to the story about Jenner, you should read my story _Rain in January._ It explains so much.

**P.S.:** I don't own Olivia the Pig, either. Ian Falconer does.


	9. No More Shadowing

**DISCLAIMER: **Still not mine… Darn…

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **The name 'Isabella' appears in chapter eight when Kate is talking about her sisters, but Isabella is supposed to be Evangeline. My computer won't let me fix it :( Sorry for the confusion.

**CHAPTER 9: NO MORE SHADOWING**

_Kate's Point of View_

The rest of the week passed by _very_ quickly after LJ's adoption party, and I could already see a remarkable change in my daughter. She was more outgoing, and able to charm anybody whom she came into contact with, and she stopped being as shy when we went out in public. Castle and I made a press release in the middle of the week about her, and once those cameras started clicking, LJ was practically hogging them. There was absolutely no question about it that she loved the attention. (It made me wonder if she was going to be an actress like her mother when she grew up.) She was turning out to be very happy and vibrant, too. Whenever she entered a room, you couldn't help but smile because of her enthusiastic personality that just appeared one day out of the blue and hasn't left. In the first few days, we realized that LJ is a very affectionate little person, and when we asked her about it, she became sad again and we eventually learned that Meredith had never really been affectionate with her and hardly ever held her. (Castle said that Meredith had been the same way with Alexis) Every morning after that, you could always find her perched on somebody's lap having "cuddle time." She was using us to compensate. I think that LJ will an affectionate type of person like the way she is now for the rest of her life because memories of her biological mother will always be in her subconscious. That's nothing that we can fix completely, but in comparison to everything else and how far she's come in such a short time, that's okay. LJ is slowly but surely on the path to healing.

All the fun and games came to a screeching halt on Sunday night because the next day was Monday, and I was going back to work for the first time since finding out about the baby and meeting LJ. Going back to work also meant something that neither one of us wanted to talk about: the end of Castle shadowing me.

We managed to explain to Alexis and LJ what was going on without getting too emotional, but once Castle and I were in our room and the door was shut, he collapsed on our bed in tears. I was by his side in an instant, holding him in my arms and kissing his tears.

"Hey, now." I cooed. "It's all right, Rick. You don't have to cry."

He took a tissue that I offered, blew his nose and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. "I know, Kate. It's just a lot to think about."

I sighed, knowing that I was going to have to be the voice of reason in this conversation. "We agreed that you were going to stop because you have _more_ than enough material to write fifty books." I played with his hair thoughtfully. "I don't think I have to mention the part where Alexis and I are both pregnant, do I?"

"No," he murmured, kissing me on the cheek and pulled me into his lap. "Of course not. My family is the most important thing to me, and I always knew that this would end some day. I just…" his voice trailed off.

"What?" I kissed my boyfriend on the hand, hoping he would be able to finish his thoughts. "What were you going to say?"

He returned my kiss. "I just never prepared myself for that moment, and now it's here…"

"But it's no the end of the world, Rick." I told him. "You're going to be able to write as many more books as your heart desires, but most importantly, at the end of the day tomorrow, I'll get to come home to you, Alexis and LJ. A year ago, I never thought that I'd get that chance, but I have it now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything." Castle opened his mouth to speak, but I put a finger to his lips and he got the message as I continued. "And after the babies are born, I'll get to come home to our little guy or girl, _and_ I'll get to come home to our first grandchild." Ever since Alexis told us about her baby, I've already considered it as my grandchild. Blood relation doesn't matter in our family. "Family is important to me, too, especially since it was just my parents and me for my whole life…" I paused, unsure of how to speak my next words. "You know what thought dawned on me after we lost mom?"

"What's that?"

"I realized that your family is the most important gift that anyone could ever had, and that you shouldn't ever take it for granted because you don't know what you have until it's gone. I took that time for granted because she was my _mom_. She wasn't supposed to die so soon…" A long single tear fell from both of my eyes before I could stop them, but I didn't bother wiping them away and smiled through my tears. "But it wasn't until spending time with you and your family that I realized something else: cherish every moment of everyday with your family. I know that you didn't prepare for this moment because you didn't want to believe it would happen, but it's here." I kissed him again. "Instead of moping about the loft when I'm gone tomorrow, go to the park with the kids and see what happens. Right now, it's about the happy moments, the ones with memories of watching your oldest daughter pushing the youngest one on a swing and seeing that they love it. Those are the ones that matter. _Those_ are the moments that you make count."

Castle held me close to him in a hug. "You are an extraordinary woman, Katherine Joy Beckett." He let go of me and lay down on the bed, motioning for me to join him. Curious about what he was getting at, I obliged and spooned together with him. My stomach did a little flip when he slipped his hand under my shirt and started tracing patterns lazily on the surface of my belly. "Remember that conversation last year when you asked me last year about why I kept coming back?"

"Of course I remember that conversation." I shivered slightly. "What about it?"

"Well, it took me over year, but I figured out the answer to your question."

I turned over onto my side to face him. "What is your answer?"

He smiled lovingly. "I should've said 'I keep coming back because it wasn't about the books anymore. It's all about you, and all I want is to protect you and just be with you because I _love _you.' Just look how far we've come since that day. After all that we've been through, we're together because what's meant to be _always_ finds a way."

Unable to keep my heart from melting like butter at his words, all I could do was cry quietly. Castle cradled me close and made soothing noises until I fell asleep.

_(Across town in Lanie & Esposito's brownstone)_

_Lanie's Point of View_

I sat on the couch and stared into space with my hands resting protectively on my pregnant belly. I was supposed to be doing something, but I had forgotten what it was because my mind was everywhere, except for where it needed to be because all I could do was think about the most current situation that my friends and I were part of.

…No matter how much I tried, there was no escaping reality…

Jenny is pregnant, and is completely over the moon about it, even though she and Kevin have been married for less than a year. She wasn't expecting to be pregnant, at all, but Kate and I were there were both there when she found out about her pregnancy, and Jenny was shocked at first, given the way she found out, but she was thrilled to pieces about it an hour later.

Kate is pregnant with Castle's child, but became a mom on Monday night to LJ, who turned up out of the blue with Castle's first ex-wife. Kate also found out that _Alexis_ is pregnant, and even though they're not blood related, Kate doesn't seem to really have an issue with becoming a grandmother at this point in her life. As long as I've known Kate, one of the biggest things she wanted was to be a mom, but she eventually lost hope. Knowing her and everything that's happened in her personal life in the last year, she'd say something about how the coming together of her family is unconventional, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

And now _I'm_ pregnant at the same time as my best friends. I should be happy about a baby, but I don't know what to make of my situation, especially since I found out the same time Jenny did.

See, she'd been as sick as a dog for the past few weeks and grumpy as _hell._ Poor Kevin was so flustered that he called Kate and me to come and talk to her. We agreed, and made a pit stop at the store to pick up some ice cream to bribe her with. I'm not sure how Kate jumped to the next conclusion, but she thought that Jenny might be pregnant, and disappeared while I was getting ice cream and junk food. When Kate came back to me, she had two boxes of Clear Blue pregnancy tests, explaining that Jenny would probably be grumpy with us for suggesting it, so one of us (me) would take a test with her, as joke.

Only… mine turned out to be positive.

I was in so much shock that all I could do was laugh. I had to keep myself together for Jenny's sake, and I wasn't going to tell Kate. I didn't have a breakdown until I got home and told Javier the news. He cried with me.

Javier and I have been friends for our whole lives because we're both from the same neighborhood in the Bronx: Soundview, and we were next door neighbors in one of the projects. (Our parents were acquaintances at first, but they became friends because of mine and Javier's friendship) It was hard growing up in the projects because of the gang violence—which probably has something to do with why I became a medical examiner—but Javier did everything he could to protect me once we wandered the projects by ourselves. He's spent almost his whole life loving me and protecting me.

When we were seventeen, I fell pregnant with Javier's baby. I was happy about it being pregnant because it came during a dark period in mine and Javier's family histories: on the very day that we found out, there was a shooting in our building courtyard and both of our fathers, along with Javier's two older brothers, were among the victims. I thought that a baby would make my mom a little bit happier, but it didn't. She freaked out on me for being irresponsible and she hit me when the words were barely out of my mouth. She told me to my face that she was ashamed of me, and that the baby was better off in foster care because at least then the baby would have a better future.

To add insult to injury, from mom perspective, she discovered that was pregnant, too.

Mom didn't let me come home, so I moved in with the Espositos, even though they were in the midst of grieving. I fought with mom about the baby's future so much that Javier's mom offered to adopt my child to raise it for us. Mom turned that offer down before Javier and I had a chance to intervene.

In the end, it was mine and Javier's decision to put our daughter into the foster care system. We named her Jessica Rose Arcadia Parish. She was born almost twenty years ago, making her nineteen now.

And now, Kate and Jenny are both pregnant and deliriously happy. I have no idea what to think about any of it, especially now that LJ is here. Don't get me wrong about her—I love my niece to pieces—but looking at her makes me wonder what life would've been like if we had kept Jessica Rose. The baby presently growing in my womb made me ask that question everyday. It also makes me ask if I'll have a difficult time raising it and loving it—like we could give this one away—and it made me wonder if the feeling of guilt that Javier and I have lived with for nearly two decades would _ever_ fade away.

The shifting of the couch cushions made me look up to see Javier sitting down next to me. "What are you thinking about tonight, _mi belleza?"_

I nestled next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder as tears slid down my face and I took a few shuddering breaths. "I'm thinking about Jessica Rose. I miss her, Javi."

"So do I. I miss her every single day."

"We don't even know where she is," I sobbed. "And we don't even know if she was adopted or not!"

My boyfriend pulled me close to him. "No, but I have always believed—even in the darkest times—that she was."

"But it's not the same for you because _you_ didn't carry her around for nine months, and you weren't slapped and disowned by your mother in the same second!"

I regretted the words the second they were out of my mouth. Looking up at him, I saw the hurt in his eyes and I felt bad.

"I'm sorry, Javi." I pressed against him and he shifted slightly as my belly came into contact with his abdomen. He held me closer to him as a response. "I am _so_ sorry. That was uncalled for."

"It's all right." His voice was soft. "You're hurting right now, _you're_ pregnant. I think you're allowed to freak out on me."

"But I just said something mean!" I protested. "Did it hurt? I won't let you let that go until you say it hurt."

"All right." He admitted. "It did hurt, but I can see you're hurting a little more than I am, aren't you?" I couldn't say anything to that because my throat became clogged up, so I just nodded. "You're thinking about Jessica Rose, but you're also thinking about Jenner, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." I began to cry again. Jenner was my sister who was born around the same time as Jessica Rose. Mom kept her, but resented her because she looked just like our dad. "She was just a _kid_ when she died! She was _seven, _and she was in a _coma_ from a _car accident_ at _Thanksgiving!_ How is that fair? She's supposed to _be _here! She should be here with Kate's sisters and be best friends with Alexis, but she isn't!"

"The world just isn't fair, chica."

"Don't give me that line!" I cried, pushing myself out of his grasp. "I _know_ that! _You_ know that! If the world was fair, our dads and siblings would be alive, Kate's mom would be alive, Jenner and Jessica would be with us, and LJ wouldn't make me wonder what things would be like if we had kept Jessica!

Javier held me in his arms again and spoke calmly to me. "But you know as well as I do that if our lives had turned out any differently, we wouldn't be where we are right now. We've kept each other sane for over 30 years, while growing up in hell. And if things were any different, we wouldn't have the incredible friends we do now. I won't ask you if you'd relive it, because I know you wouldn't, but I will ask you if you'd trade any of that to have an easy ticket to today."

I answered the question without hesitation. "Absolutely not. Battle scars and all, I wouldn't trade any of it for a straight shot to paradise. Nothing in life is easy, and the best things are earned through blood sweat and tears."

"We're going to be all right, Delaney." He slipped his hands under my shirt to be close to the baby. "We're going to have a baby, and we will _never _lose faith in believing that we'll see Jessica again, but we are _all_ a family, regardless of whether or not both of our children are present." He kissed me on the forehead. "I love you _so_ much."

As a reflex to his words, I replied in Spanish. "Te amo, también."

_I love you, too._

**AN: **There! That took me _hours_ and _hours_ to do because of how emotional it was! Pleeeease send me lots of sparkly reviews, or I'll hold the next chapter hostage, even after it's done!


	10. It's Still Girl Talk In the Morgue

**DISCLAIMER: **Ten chapters into a story that's turning out to be pretty awesome and only LJ is mine so far. Maybe if I mailed this story to Mr Marlowe, he'd at least let me join the writing team. Then I'd be one step closer…

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Lots of love, sparkles and gold stars to **castlelover100** for submitting the fiftieth review!

**P.S.:** I know that Lanie said that Jenner was seven when she died, but to keep up with the timeline, I'm rearranging things a little. Bear with me. (Again: I have a computer that won't let me make the changes I wish I could.)

**CHAPTER 10: IT'S STILL GIRL TALK IF IT'S IN THE MORGUE**

_Lanie's Point of View_

When I arrived at work the next morning, Jessica Rose and Jenner were still heavy on my mind, but I was comforted by the fact that today was the day when Kate would come visit me like I had instructed her to at the party. Other than Javier, she's the only other person in our circle of friends who knows me inside and out. But after today… she's going to know absolutely everything because I don't plan to hold anything back.

Everything will change in our relationship after this, but I already know it's going to be for better, and not for worse.

After having given everybody different assignments, and wondering how the hell Perlmutter had already found a project to occupy himself with, I walked into my office and sat at the desk, with my thoughts running rampant through my head. The only thing to keeping me from losing my cool was knowing that I was going to talk to my best friend.  
A sudden knock on the door made me remember where I was. Looking over I saw Kate standing in the doorway. "Hey, Lanie." She smiled. "I didn't have much to do, and I just buried Ryan and Esposito in paperwork. Are you free for that talk now?"

I nodded. "Sure am. I want to hear all about what it was like getting out the door this morning, now that Writer Boy is home with Alexis and LJ."

Kate entered and shut the door behind her, and proceeded to tell me a story as she sat down. This story involved LJ hiding under the table to stuff her face full of bread while Alexis and Castle looked high and low for the bread. I tried as hard as I could to pay attention to her, but all I could do was think about my talk with Javier last night, and all the tears that we had shed.

I jumped slightly when Kate waved her hand in front of my face. "Lanie?" I looked at her. "Are you in there?"

"I am," I looked back at her. "But I just have a lot on my mind."

"What's the matter? Is it still the same thing as the other day?"

I nodded again and was on the verge of tears. "I'm about to tell you something that's _really _important, and you are not allowed to freak out on me." I rubbed my eyes in an effort not to cry. "Do you understand?"

The tone of my voice let Kate know that I was all business, and she sobered up in the blink of an eye and answered me seriously. "Yes, I do understand you. Please tell me what's going on."

As I answered her, I was suddenly thankful that we were alone. "Javier and I have been friends for a lot longer than everybody thinks… or even knows."

Kate immediately arched an eyebrow. "How long are we talking about, exactly?"

"Thirty-six years." I answered promptly.

Kate's eyes grew wide as she did the math. "Delaney Susan Parish! _You_ are thirty-six!"

"Shut up!" I hissed. "Don't go blabbing numbers like that!"

She just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Do you mean to tell me that you and _Javier,"_ I laughed, realizing it must be really weird for her to call her detective by first name. "Have been friends for what? Your whole lives?"

"Yes, actually." Kate's mouth dropped open in shock. "We were next door neighbors in the Bronx and we grew up together. He's been my guy for as long as I can remember, but I've _loved_ him since we were _five_ and he rescued my teddy bear from the older kids, but that's another story for another time…"

"I should say so." Kate agreed. "There's more to _this_ one…"

I nodded and rubbed my belly as I thought of what to say next. "Mine and Javier's past is full of lots of grief and tragedy, and I have to tell you _everything._ I'm sorry that I never did before…"

Kate reached for my hand and held it tight. "It's all right, sweetie. I'm here." She assured me. "Tell me everything."

"When Javi and I were seventeen, there was a gunfight in the courtyard of the building project where we lived. Lots of people died that day and Javi and I remember because we were hiding in an empty ground level apartment facing the courtyard. I didn't see it because he held me close and covered my eyes, but he said that bullets were flying everywhere."

"Oh, my God." Kate gasped. "Did either of you get hurt?"

"No. God spared us." My eyes filled up with tears as I thought of what came next. "We made it, but my dad, David, and Javi's dad and brothers, Felix, Miguel, and Mateo didn't make it. God didn't spare them, but I know why he spared _us."_

My voice was thick with emotion, but Kate's was quiet. "Why? Why were spared?"

"Because not even an hour later, when I was being checked out by the EMTs, I was violently sick all over one of them, probably because I was in shock, and I had developed the chills."

"What does this have to do with you and Javier being spared?"

"Because, Kate, when I was in the hospital, I found out that I was pregnant."

I watched her as she realized exactly what I meant. She tried twice to say something, and finally got her words out. _"You had Javier's baby?"_

"Yes, I did. And you know what happened on the day that we found out?"

My friend was hanging onto every word. "What else?"

"Mom told me that Jenner was on the way." Kate raised an eyebrow. "I told her about _my_ baby and she _slapped _me, saying that I wasn't her daughter anymore and that the baby was better off in foster care because that way it had a chance at a better future." I looked at Kate and immediately knew she was biting her tongue because she had had a better childhood than me in a good Brooklyn neighborhood. "My parents both came from really poor backgrounds—especially mom—so she didn't have much stock in my future. I beat the odds, Kate."

"You did." She nodded and offered me a smile. "What happened to your baby?"

"I had a beautiful baby girl, and we named her Jessica Rose Arcadia Parish. When I was pregnant with her, I lived with the Espositos. Javi's mom offered to adopt Jessica Rose, but mom said no before I could say anything about it." I was crying freely by this point, so Kate got up and pushed her chair around the desk so it was facing me. Resuming her spot, she wordlessly took my hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze, all while encouraging me with a kind and loving gaze to continue. "We put Jess in foster care when she was a few hours old, and it was the hardest thing that either of us have ever had to do. One of the hardest things is that we don't know if she was ever adopted. Javi says that he has always believed she did. But me? I don't know what to think." I ran a hand over my belly. "I'm pregnant now, and I love the baby and I know I should be happy about it, but I can't help but remember back to when I was pregnant with Jessica."

A new thought struck the younger woman in front of me. "The same thing happens when you see LJ, doesn't it?"

I nodded, feeling guilty. "It does. I'm sorry. I love her—I do—but it's just…_hard…"_

"Oh, sweetie," If Kate wasn't being this maternal toward her family, the only other person she'd do it for would be me. "It's okay. I know you love her, but she reminds you of the child you and Javier left behind, and that's what makes it hard."

"Exactly." I nodded. "Another thing that makes it hard is that Jessica Rose turns twenty in August, and she'd be a little bit older than Alexis, so I sometimes wonder if they would have been friends."

"Really?"

"Yes. Jenner would be nineteen, too, because she was born on the same day as Jessica. Mom kept her, but resented her because she looked just like my dad." My eyes filled up with tears again, but this time they spilled over before anything could be done. Kate immediately reached over and wiped my tears for me. "I just wish that Jenner was still here. She was a little fighter, Kate, and she would have _loved_ you. If only she hadn't lived such short life..."

"What do you mean?" My friend's voice was cautious because up until now, I'd never given so much as a hint about how old my sister had been when she died. "How old _was_ Jenner?"

"She was almost _seven!_ She was just a little kid!" I choked out. "She was almost _seven, _and she slipped into a coma that she didn't wake up from. Mom, Jenner and I were in a taxicab, on the way to a restaurant for Thanksgiving, and these two cars came out of nowhere and—what is it?"

A distant and clouded look appeared on my friend's face. She even let go of me and back to think.

"Lanie," Kate spoke in a deadly serious tone. "You said this accident happened at Thanksgiving. What _year_ was it?"

"1998."

"And you say that _two_ cars hit the cab?"

I suddenly felt a little queasy as I put the pieces together. Please, no… "That's what I said…"

Kate rose from her chair, and crossed to the other side of the room. I followed her and turned her around. As soon as we locked eyes, she promptly burst into tears.

"Oh, my God, Lanie!" She sobbed in anguish. "Mom and I were in an accident just before she died, and it was _on_ Thanksgiving, and we got hit by a _cab!"_

"That means," I spoke slowly as the last piece fell into place. "That the first car was a drunk driver, like the reports said, but the second car had a mom and her daughter in it, and the mom was pregnant. I'm not religious, but I remember praying as hard as I could that they made it okay. I never found out."

Kate's expression was difficult to read, but she was suddenly eerily quiet, and she was just sniffling. Her pregnancy hormones were obviously in action. "Mom and I were in that car. _Our_ car hit _your_ cab." My knees gave out in surprise, but Kate was quick to catch me and put me on the ground. "My mom had been four-and-a months pregnant, but with her injuries, she ended up miscarrying my little sister. I named her Evangeline."

"That's a beautiful name."

Kate nodded in thanks. "I'm sorry to ask this, but did Jenner slip into her coma after the crash?"

"She did, and…" my voice trailed off, as something else dawned on me.

Even though we were both on the floor of my office, Kate pulled me close her and touched her forehead to mine. "Please, Lanie. Tell me what you were going to say."

I touched my forehead to hers in return. "I was going to say that Jenner went peacefully on January ninth, 1999."

Kate smiled weakly. "Mom and Jenner went up to Heaven on the same day to keep each other company, and to watch us, probably to make sure that we have this very conversation."

"Most likely." I agreed and then sighed a little. "After all these years, I wondered what became of the people in the other car, and now I know."

Kate nodded. "And after all this time, you know what this means?"

I looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Our relationship has always been the 'best friends' type, but it's reached a whole new level, now that we find out how intertwined our pasts are."

"What level would that be?" I wanted to know.

"It puts us on the level of sisterhood."

I smiled and slipped my hand in hers. "I like the sound of that. Delaney and Katherine: best friends on the outside, but sisters at heart."

She gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "We are sisters for life now, and there is _nothing_ that will ever change that."

**AN: **Woo! Another emotional chapter out of the way! Send me lots of reviews, and I promise you'll each get gold stars :D


	11. Doctors Appointments and Baby Kisses

**DISCLAIMER: **Two words: Not mine.

**CHAPTER 11: DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND BABY KISSES**

_Kate's Point of View_

A month had passed since LJ's arrival, and that meant two very important things for Alexis and I, the first of which was now that it was April, we were both due for our four month check-up at the doctor's office. The second thing was now that she and I were both showing; we couldn't keep LJ in the dark much longer.

"How are we going to do this?" Alexis asked me curiously. "Dad's gone for the weekend in Jersey and Gram's busy with her work at her studio. We both have to leave for doctor appointments _soon_, and LJ _still_ doesn't know about the babies!"

"I really hope she doesn't freak out on us. I know it's been a month, and she's improved _remarkably,_ but I'm sure there's still a part of her that's a little flighty." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose to fight off any oncoming headaches. "Not only do we have to tell her about the babies, but we also have to tell her that she's going to be a big sister _and_ an aunt!"

"I just remembered that Ashley is coming with us…" Alexis muttered. "How are we going to pull this off?"

We both looked over at LJ, who standing against the living room window, watching the cars and the passerby on the streets down below. Olivia the pig was tucked underneath her arm.

A sudden idea popped into my head, and I turned to my friend. "Lex, do you have your notebook with you? The one with the journal entry with the sonogram?"

She held it up. "Right here. Why?"

"Because I have an idea. Go wait for me on the couch and keep an eye on your sister."

Alexis nodded and walked off toward the couch. I crossed the room from island and went into Castle's office and took a particular picture frame from his desk before rejoining my daughters and sitting on the couch next to Alexis. I put the frame down on the table and called out to LJ.

"LJ!" She turned around at the sound of her name. "Will you please come here for a minute?"

I outstretched my arms and she ran for them, laughing happily when I caught her and  
pulled her up onto my lap. She cast a glance at her sister and then looked up at me with a slight three-year-old type of worry.

"We talk 'bout something, mama? LJ in trouble?"

I bit my tongue in an effort not to laugh. LJ had just shown me that of the many things, her dad's guilty conscience hadn't been left out of the gene pool.

"No, baby girl," I assured her. "You're not in trouble."

She breathed a sigh of relief, and I suddenly wondered if she'd left me a mess somewhere, but quickly brushed the thought aside. "What we talk 'bout, mama? Lexie talk wif us, too? Is it 'portant stuff?"

Alexis moved closer to me and looked at her sister. "Yes, actually. It's _really_ important."

LJ looked back at me with an expectant expression on her face. "Mama?"

I took LJ's hands and put them on my belly. "There's a baby growing in my tummy, LJ."

LJ's eyes grew as wide as saucers as she patted my belly. "Baby in there?"

"Yes, sweetheart." I pressed her hands against my belly, hoping that the baby would move, but it didn't because it was probably sleeping. "There's a baby in there."

"Wow…"

She crawled into Alexis' lap and gave her belly a gentle pat just like she had with mine. "Baby here, too, Lexie?"

Alexis and I raised our eyebrows at each other. LJ was frighteningly smart sometimes.

Alexis looked back at her sister. "Yes, LJ, there's a baby in there, too."

"LJ see Lexie's baby?"

"Not for a few more months, yet." LJ pouted and crossed her arms, whereupon Alexis picked up her notebook and started flipping to the page with the sonogram on it. "See this picture?"

LJ studied it intently before nodding. "Yes."

"Well, that's my baby."

"Baby is tiny…"

"Yes, it is, but it's growing."

LJ seemed awestruck by these words. "Really?"

"I promise you, LJ, the baby is growing in my tummy." Alexis responded. "Even when it's born, it's going to be awhile yet before they can play with you."

She nodded solemnly at these words. I couldn't believe how well she was taking this. It made me wish that Castle was here, and not on that tour Paula had sent him on…

"Is baby boy or girl?"

"I don't know yet. I want it to be a surprise."

"LJ like surprises…" She put both hands on her sister's pregnant belly and looked into her sister's eyes. "Baby sisser in your tummy?"

Alexis smiled slightly. "No, sweetheart. This is your niece or nephew_, _and you are their aunt."

The words 'niece' and 'nephew' meant nothing to LJ, but the word 'aunt' did. The joy and awe was clearly written all over her face and it was in her voice, and I wiped my eyes as happy tears fell.

"LJ gets to be aunt, like Aunt Jenny and Aunt Lanie?"

"Yes, you do. That means that you get to be a friend to the baby and keep an eye on it so it doesn't get into trouble. Do you think you can be a big girl and do that?"

"Yes, Lexie. LJ is big girl."

In a sudden movement, LJ leaned forward and threw her arms around Alexis' middle, effectively hugging her belly. Alexis could only smile happily at her little sister, happy tears running down her own face. LJ held on for another minute before making her way into my lap and sitting down to face me with her hands on my belly.

"This my baby sisser?"

"I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, either." LJ pouted again. "But I have a picture, too." LJ's expression brightened quickly as I picked the frame off the table. "See the picture in there?" Nod. "That's the baby that's in mama's tummy."

"That baby tiny, too." LJ observed, leaning against my belly and shifting slightly as the baby fluttered around. "LJ is a big sisser, like Lexie?"

I was once more blown away by her brain. "Yes, you are."

"Oh." LJ became a little fidgety and sat up as the baby fluttered a little bit more. "Please to touch your tummy?"

"Yes, you may." I handed the picture frame to Alexis and lifted my shirt to expose my four month pregnant belly. Anybody could tell I was pregnant now. I laughed when LJ's little hands went straight for my belly, and I giggled as her eyes went wide at feeling the baby's fluttery movement. "You like that, don't you?"

LJ nodded. "Baby swimmin' in there." She looked over at Alexis, who was watching us with one of her hands resting under her shirt on her own belly. "Lexie feelded baby brudder."

Alexis looked at me for permission and I had barely nodded when LJ had grabbed Alexis' hand out from under her shirt and put it next to her own.

"Feelded baby brudder, Lexie?" LJ asked her, turning her gaze back toward my belly. "LJ feelded."

Alexis was in a state of childlike awe as she pressed her hand down a little firmer. "I can feel him, too, LJ…"

I laughed inwardly as I realized that both of my daughters were rooting for a little brother without even saying it directly.

LJ's little fingers began tracing a pattern on my stomach. "Mama, what that? Looks like a flower."

She was pointing to a tattoo on my stomach that was indeed of a flower. Even Alexis was inspecting it with real curiosity.

"This is a tattoo of a lily."

LJ blinked in surprise and pointed to herself. _"LJ_ is called Lily."

I smiled at her. "I know, but lilies were my mama's favorite flower."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yes, Baby Bird."

She pointed to some words next to the lily. "What that say?"

"It says my mama's name: Johanna Lily Beckett."

"'Johanna Lily…'" My youngest daughter echoed. As she thought of something, a sudden thunderstruck look appeared on her face. "Her name Lily, too! Where Mama Joey?"

My throat immediately became too clogged up at the nickname LJ had given my mother. (A nickname she would've loved, too…) Alexis came to my rescue.

"Mama Joey is with the angels now, but she's watching us right now, and making sure that we're all okay." She pointed to something else near my tattoo. "Why don't you ask mama what that is?"

LJ inspected what her big sister was pointing at before looking up at me. "What that, Mama?"

She was pointing to my belly button, which was pierced with a navel ring in the shape of a baby's footprint.

"That's my navel ring, LJ." I explained. "You can touch it, but you have to be really gentle."

LJ nodded seriously. "LJ _very_ gentle."

She reached out and touched the little decoration. LJ looked at it for a second before casting a curious glance at her sister. "Lexie have ring on her tummy?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, sweetie, I don't."

"Tattoo?"

"Yes, but not on my tummy."

This took me by surprise. "When did _you_ get a tattoo?"

Alexis smirked, knowing that she had thrown me for a loop. "During my first weekend at Oxford, and because I know you'll ask: dad doesn't know."

LJ crawled into her sister's lap and tugged on her shirt. "Please to see tattoo, Lexie!"

Alexis obliged and pulled back her left shirt sleeve up to her elbow to reveal two simple words in huge block letters: _love wins._

Alexis explained what the words meant. LJ seemed to understand and then asked Alexis to lift her shirt so she could see her belly. Alexis did as LJ asked, and when Alexis' belly was visible, LJ leaned forward and kissed it gently. She leaned over and repeated the same process with my belly.

With my insides once again turning into mush because of LJ's love, Alexis spoke up once more. "Why did you do that, LJ? It was very nice of you."

"LJ did it 'cause you say love wins. Hafta teach babies that."

Alexis was immediately reduced to a puddle. As she reached for a tissue box on the table to clean herself up, I reassured LJ that everything was fine and pulled her onto my lap. She paused for a second and tilted her head to the side, obviously thinking about something.

"Mama, how babies get in you an' Lexie's tummies?"

At this point, Alexis laughed but quickly turned her laugh into a bad cough. I ignored her.

"I'll tell you how that works when you're a lot bigger, all right?"

"Okay." She replied with a sweet innocence and then looked from my belly to Alexis.' "LJ take good care of Nemo an' Squishy."

Alexis recovered from her 'cough' and raised an eyebrow. "'Nemo and Squishy'?"

LJ touched my belly while looking at her sister. "Nemo in mama's tummy. He Nemo 'cause we feelded him swimmin' like a fishy."

Alexis pointed to her own belly. "And this is Squishy?"

LJ nodded eagerly. "Mhm. Your baby Squishy 'cause he tiny an' squishy."

I liked how LJ was assuming the babies' genders, and how she was making two Disney references.

"If you say so, LJ." I glanced at my watch briefly. "LJ, we have to get ready to go soon."

She drew her gaze away from her sister and looked back at me. "Go where?"

"Alexis and I need to go to the doctor's office, and she's going to check on the babies with a special machine."

LJ's eyes grew wide yet again. "Wow! I go wif you?"

"Yes."

"And guess what, LJ?" Alexis chimed in.

The little girl looked at her sister again. "What?"

"Ashley's coming, too."

She squealed happily. "LJ loves Ashy a _lot,_ but _you_ 'gon marry him."

Alexis promptly turned bright red, and LJ found that hysterical and she spoke to me with complete glee.

"Lexie turneded red, mama!" she giggled. "She silly!"

"She sure is." I laughed and ruffled LJ's hair. "But we have to get you ready now."

LJ shook her head furiously. "Nu-uh, mama!"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "And why is that, Miss Lily?"

"LJ tell you somethin' real quick."

"What would that be?"

"LJ always be your baby, right?"

"Right…"

"Nemo an' Squishy gon' be _my_ babies 'cause LJ yours." My heart caught in my throat. I looked over at Alexis and saw that she had happy tears in her eyes. "LJ _love_ and _protec' _Nemo an' Squishy _forever._ They also gotta learn how to bird feed and letters, too…"

LJ slid off my body and wandered away, clutching Olivia the pig, and started reciting the alphabet way out of order. She knew all twenty-six letters, but didn't know the correct order at all.

I looked at Alexis, who had a very content look about her.

"Well, that went a _lot_ better than I thought." She remarked.

"No kidding!" I agreed. "The protective streak runs deep in her veins."

Alexis nodded. "I know that she got that from dad, no question about that. Dad has always loved protected the most important people in his life: me and Gram, and then you. Now he has LJ and my little brother or sister that you're growing in your womb, and I _know_ he's going to protect his grandchild, too. But—" She stopped in mid sentence, thinking, but stood up and continued on with her words. "But you know what, Kate?"

"What?"

"Dad has _always_ loved you. He told me so the day after we first met you at the bar."

My mouth dropped open in surprise. "You _knew?"_

Alexis' eyes twinkled, much like the way Martha's did. "I guessed before he even told me. The look in his eyes that night told me everything."

I was about to say something, but got interrupted by LJ who was at the top of the landing, asking for help to get dressed at the same time Alexis excused herself to answer a text. Forty-five minutes later, Alexis, LJ and I arrived at the doctor's office and were sitting down in chairs in one of the exam rooms. Ashley joined us shortly thereafter, having made arrangements to meet us there.

_Alexis' Point of View_

Ashley arrived shortly after we did. He gave me a hug and quick kiss and greeted Kate and LJ, the latter of whom burst into giggles at the sight of my boyfriend.

Ashley found this very amusing, too. "What's with her?"

"LJ is bent on the belief that you and I are going to get married someday."

"Well, she isn't wrong, Alexis. We _will_ get married someday."

At a complete loss for words by that statement, I just leaned my head against his shoulder and let him play with my hair as we waited for time to pass.

Words just couldn't begin to express how much I love Ashley Noah Kerrigan.

_Kate's Point of View_

With Alexis and Ashley wrapped up in their own little world, and LJ sitting on the ground near my feet, I let my mind wander.

Since I've never been pregnant before, I needed an OBGYN. Lanie and Jenny both had the same one, and recommended her for Alexis and me. I had been very satisfied with her credentials when Lanie and Jenny recited them, so I went ahead and booked back-to-back appointments for us. The only things I knew about this doctor personally is that she is very good friends with Jenny's family, and that her name is Emily Ryan.

After the nurse checked on mine and Alexis' vitals and basic information, we didn't have long to wait for Doctor Ryan. When I saw who she was, my stomach turned over in surprise, and the look of surprise was clear on her face, too.

"Emily," I stood up and walked toward her, careful not to trip over LJ. "Is that you?"

Emily's face lit up. "Katie J!" she used an old nickname, and when she spoke I was surprised to hear a heavy Australian accent that she had picked up since the last time I saw her. "I haven't seen you in years and years!"

"Yeah, not since the Paint Incident—"

She laughed at that particular memory. "Never mind that. Introduce me to your family."

We turned to Alexis, LJ and Ashley who were each watching us with curious looks.

"Alexis, Ashley, LJ, this is my old friend, Emily Queller." Alexis opened her mouth to say something, but I beat her to the punch, knowing exactly what she was going to say. "And yes, Alexis, she _is _Madison Queller's little sister."

"My last name is Ryan now." Emily wiggled her left hand, showing a wedding ring. I made a mental note to check with Ryan when I got back to work on Monday to ask if he had a brother. Ryan is a common last name, but still, given the circles that I run in, _anything_ is possible. "But we're going to have plenty of time to catch up later. Are you ready, Kate?"

I nodded and climbed onto the table, once more wishing that Castle was here. Everything was a complete blur until it was Emily was wheeling out the ultrasound machine from the corner. LJ, who had been dying to see her beloved Nemo, realized that something important was about to happen and slid out of Ashley's lap and ran across the room next to the bed.

"Mama, we see Nemo now?"

"'Nemo'?" Emily questioned as she fired the machine up.

LJ sighed heavily, as if she'd explained this a thousand times. "My mama's baby is Nemo and my Lexie's baby is Squishy! Please to see Nemo?"

I laughed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Yes, Baby Bird, we're going to see Nemo now."

LJ squealed happily and jumped up and down as Alexis and Ashley came over to watch, too. Ashley held LJ in his arms and Alexis stood next to them. I smiled as I marveled about how much they looked like a family.

In that moment, I cursed Gina and Paula for making Castle go to New Jersey for the particular day. He was missing a great family moment…

Remembering where I was, I turned and saw Emily standing at the ready with a tube of gel.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes." I sighed. "I'm fine. I'm just missing Rick right now. He's in New Jersey for a two day book signing, but he'll be back on Sunday night." I eyed the tube of gel in her hands. "Is it time to see the baby?"

Emily nodded. "It is. This gel is going to be a little cold, so don't say I didn't warn you."

I lifted my shirt back to expose my belly, and she squeezed the gel on. It was quite cold, and I couldn't help but shiver. We all watched in a hushed silence as Emily glided the wand across my belly to get a clear image of the baby.

Emily spoke after a moment. "There we go. There's Nemo."

I was speechless, just as I had been the first time I saw the baby on the screen last month.

This child was mine and Castle's creation.

Our _child…_

I looked over at the other three. Alexis and LJ were both entranced by the sight of the baby. Even Ashley was, even though he was here for Alexis. He isn't _my_ son, but after the way that he had stepped up in the past month to take care of Alexis and be with her, I realized that Ashley is the closest that I have to a son right now.

LJ leaned over from her position in Ashley's arms and tapped me on the on the shoulder. "That's Nemo, mama!" She was clearly excited. "That's LJ's Nemo!" She looked back at the screen and blew kisses to it. "LJ love you, Nemo!"

Just like Alexis had been earlier, I was reduced to a puddle. I propped myself up on my elbows and LJ seemed sense that I wanted her, because she leaned over and wiped my tears before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"LJ love mama, too."

Ashley backed away so Emily could help me wrap things up.

"Would you like to know Nemo's gender?"

I smiled as she used the baby's nickname. "No. Rick and I decided that we'd rather have it be a surprise. He's a writer, so he can write surprises, but I'm a cop, so with my line of work, a surprise like this is one of the last few _good _surprises I have left."

"Fair enough." Emily agreed and handed me a blue cloth. "You ready to hear Nemo's heartbeat?"

I nodded and she flipped a few switches. A steady thumping noise filled the room and I couldn't stop my heart from melting.

_Alexis' Point of View_

Once I was up on the table watching Emily going over the notes, I prayed there was one thing that she wouldn't talk about: my weight. Ever since I got that text from Conrad when I spent the night at Ashley's house, I'd been worried about him coming back. That fear had gotten to me, and I was starting to lose a little weight, and one of the things I knew best about pregnancy was that I needed to _gain_ weight, not lose it.

Unfortunately, the look on Emily's face told me that my weight was exactly what she was going to talk about.

"Alexis, just about everything checks out, but it's your weight concerns me" she spoke as she looked up from her notes. "You seem to be a little underweight, and that's not good for the baby. Did something happen recently that would have stressed out?"

I tried to ignore Kate's penetrating gaze from where she and LJ were sitting and reached for Ashley's hand. He held onto it tightly as I spoke to my doctor.

"I was away in Oxford for the beginning of the semester, and I… got into some trouble." I glanced at LJ, who was in La La Land with Olivia the pig, but I still didn't want to risk her hearing anything she shouldn't…and I didn't want Kate to blow a gasket in front of her. "To make the story G-rated for LJ's sake, there was a lot of mistakes made and a very brief engagement to the baby's father that didn't end well. Those are the biggest reasons why I've been stressed out lately."

Emily just nodded and chose not to press the subject. "I see. To be on the safe side, I'm going to need you to gain thirty extra pounds. Do you understand?"

"I do." I sighed heavily. "I'm only four months along, and now I'm _really_ going to look like a whale by the time this is all over."

Kate looked like she was going to say something, but didn't because LJ chose this moment to look up from what she was doing. "But Lexie, _LJ_ like whales 'cause the whale helpeded Marlin an' Dory to find Nemo. Whales _good."_

I could only smile in thanks to my sister as Ashley spoke. "I always liked the whale, myself…"

Feeling better, I turned back to Emily who was smiling.

"See? Nothing like your family to make you feel better." She put her clipboard down on a nearby counter. "Are you ready to see your baby now?"

"Yes, please, but LJ _will_ make you call the baby 'Squishy,' so don't say I didn't warn you."

Emily laughed as she helped me lay down. "First Nemo and now Squishy?" She looked at Kate, who was now walking over with LJ on her hip. "Kate, how much Pixar does LJ _watch?"_

"_Lots."_ Was Kate's wry reply. "Rick and Alexis—and Ashley, too, now that I think about it—spoil her with Pixar and Disney."

Ashley pretended to be very interested in his watch while I put on an expression of innocence. "We have _no_ idea what you're talking about. No idea, whatsoever."

Kate just rolled her eyes and shook her head. LJ didn't miss a beat and giggled. Emily just smiled and got the ultrasound machine ready.

As soon as I saw the baby on the screen, my heart turned to butter. Sure, I had seen the baby at my appointment last month after I had returned from Oxford, but it was different now because Ashley was standing next to me and holding my hand this time.

"Look at that, Ash." I pointed to the screen. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"

Ashley held my hand in both of his and kissed it. "You mean besides you? No."

LJ once more chose this moment to interrupt. "Lexie, mama, Ashy! I see Squishy over there!" she was pointing to the monitor. "Squishy _tiny,_ but LJ still love him every single day." Just like she had when Nemo was on the screen, she focused on the screen this time around, too and blew kisses to Squishy. "LJ love you an' Nemo _so_ much 'cause you're gon' be LJ's babies, too."

She fell silent after that and sighed contently from her hold in Kate's arms.

…It was impossible not to love that child…

Ashley leaned over and wiped my tears for me before we turned our attention back to Emily.

"Do you want to know Squishy's gender?"

Ashley and I exchanged glances with each other, conversing silently with just our eyes. He's stepped to the plate recently to take care of the baby and I as best as he could. For that, I included him in all of the major choices and decisions, including this one.

We looked back at her and answered in unison. "No, thanks."

Emily just laughed. "Do you want to hear Squishy's heartbeat, then?"

Again, we answered in unison. "Yes, please."

Sure, I'd heard the heartbeat at my last appointment, but I had been alone. But now that Ashley was here, it just felt…different.

The heartbeat was the most blessed thing I had ever heard.

_Kate's Point of View_

Once Alexis was done, I shooed her, Ashley and LJ out into the waiting room so I could have a moment alone with Emily as she put her things away.

"When did you get married, Em?"

"Oh, Kate." She laughed. "I'll tell you that story if we have dinner together. I'll even throw in the story about how I picked up my accent."

"You're on. Come to dinner at the loft with Castle and me." I reached into my wallet and pulled out one of my cards. I quickly jotted down on our address on the back and handed it to her. "Bring your husband."

Emily pocketed the card and looked at me. "Have you heard from Madison recently? She did tell me about how your paths crossed two years ago during a case."

"I haven't seen Maddie since then." I answered truthfully. "How's she doing?"

"Maddie is great. She's married, too—and has two stepsons."

"Good for her." I smiled happily, but a new thought crossed my mind. "What about Melissa?"

Melissa is the youngest Queller sister at nineteen years old.

Emily sighed, and there was a sad tone about it. "There's a lot of things we need to catch up on, seeing as the last time you saw me, I was like, twelve and being shipped of to Switzerland for boarding school. And just for the record: boarding school _sucks."_

"I'll be sure to make a note of that."

My old friend looked at her watch and jumped a little. "I need to go, Katie J. I'll call Madison and get back to you."

We walked toward the door and stood in the doorway. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alexis and Ashley at the fish tank in the waiting room with LJ, pointing out all the different fish to her.

"How does Tuesday at seven sound for dinner?"

"Sounds great." She glanced at her watch again and then back at me. "I really have to go now…"

I nodded and watched her leave before heading over to the kids.

**AN:** Done! I hope none of you OD'd on all that fluff, because that means that I can't give out gold stars when y'all press that little button down there to give me a nice review…


	12. And That Is What A Baby Kick Feels Like

**DISCLAIMER: **So not mine. Darn.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special thanks and extra gold stars to Celeste..

**CHAPTER 12: AND THAT IS WHAT A BABY KICK FEELS LIKE**

_Kate's Point of View_

"Yo, boss!" Esposito's voice made me jump slightly. "Are you in there?"

I looked up to see Esposito and Ryan standing in front of me with curious expressions on their faces. The Queller family had been on my mind ever since we met Emily four days ago on Friday, and what exactly was going on with them that Emily couldn't say freely.

"Yeah, I'm here." I replied with a nod. "I was just thinking about how I ran into an old friend at the doctor's office with the kids."

"What was your friend's name?" Ryan wanted to know.

I looked up at him from my chair. "Funny _you_ should ask me that question."

Esposito smirked as his partner became nervous. I know that they both see me as a mother figure somewhat, so I know that one of them gets amused when the other is addressed by me in that kind of tone.

"What makes you say that, Beckett?"

"Because her last name is Ryan." I saw Esposito raise an eyebrow at his partner. "Do you have a brother, or something?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, actually, I do. His name is Thomas, and he recently married a woman named Emily Queller…well, she's Emily _Ryan_ now…"

"I thought so…"

Esposito was genuinely curious. "Why does the name Queller sound so familiar?"

"Remember Madison Queller?"

Esposito laughed. "Oh, you mean the one who ran the restaurant where the main chef was frozen and his hand broke off…?" his voice trailed off as he realized exactly what he had said and he shuddered.

"Yes, Esposito," I nodded. "That would be her."

"And Madison is Emily's sister…" Esposito concluded.

"Gold star for Esposito." I praised.

Ryan shifted his weight from one foot to another, still slightly confused. "All right, but how do you know Emily and Madison? Do you know their little sister?" His brow was furrowed as he tried to keep his details straight. "Thomas met Emily right before we met Madison."

"I've known Maddie since I was fifteen, and Emily was her twelve year-old-sister, being shipped off to Switzerland for boarding school." I answered. "Melissa was about two when I met her, but was always at home with her mom, so I didn't see much of her."

Understanding dawned on Ryan. "And after all these years, my sister-in-law is grown-up and she's yours and Alexis' doctor."

"Bingo." I praised him this time. "Now _you_ get a gold star."

I bit back a laugh as he looked like a little kid getting praise from his mom, but for a split second, saw a small flicker of pain that in his eyes that made me wonder about his past.

My mind didn't have time to wander too far because my phone rang, and it was Lanie, informing us of a fresh body. I jotted down the information and hung up the phone.

"Boss?" Esposito questioned.

I stood up and grabbed my things. "Lanie has a body for us on Canal street. Come on."

The two of them followed me into the elevator, mumbling about how Canal Street always meant trouble.

Well… they were right.

When we got to the scene, everybody was milling about; doing their tasks, but the air had a sickening silence to it. I went over to Lanie, who was leaning against the side of the building where I presumed the bodies were. A sad expression was on her face, and her hands were resting on her belly.

I was slightly taken aback by Lanie's appearance because she's the _medical examiner_ and deals with the actual dead people. It usually doesn't get to her, but this time it obviously did.

I spoke in a soft voice to my friend. "Delaney?"

She looked at me with a sad expression. "Oh, Kate…" she sighed. "Give your family lots of hugs and kisses when you go home tonight."

Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I entered the building and went into the crime scene. A girl, probably a little older than Alexis, was slumped against the wall, dead in her own blood and there was a look of permanent shock on her face. A man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties lay on the floor nearby with a gun in his hand. The chalky white pallor of his skin and the pool of blood coming from a gunshot wound to his temple let us know that he was very dead.

A further look at the girl against the wall made me realize why everybody—especially Lanie—so sad and quiet: the girl's hands were over her abdomen in a protective manner, and there was a positive pregnancy test in her hands.

_She had been killed because she was pregnant._

I suddenly felt the bile rising in my stomach and bolted back outside, throwing up in a side alley.

Lanie appeared at my side, holding out a water bottle. "Have a drink. It'll help."  
I accepted the water bottle gratefully and took a drink. "Thanks." Casting a glance back at the building, I sighed. "We see murder _every day,_ so you would think that seeing something like that wouldn't get to us, but yet…"

"It does because we're pregnant." Lanie finished.

I ran my fingers through my hair. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Lanie. I just need to call Rick a minute."

She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I understand, girl. Take your time."

I watched my friend walk away before leaning against the wall of the building and pulling my phone out of my pocket to dial home. Castle picked up.

"Well, hello there, Kitten." There was a smile in his voice and I could just see it, even if he was back in the loft, and even if he had used a nickname from so long ago. "What's up?"

Unable to contain my tears, I started crying. "I'm so glad to hear your voice."

He became serious. "What happened?"

"I can't talk about now, babe, but I will when I get home." I promised as I wiped my tears away. "Are Alexis and LJ nearby?"

"No." Regret was in his voice. "Alexis and Ashley volunteered to take her for a few hours while I worked on a few chapters."

"Oh." I sighed and bit my lip to keep from crying. There was no doubt about it that my pregnancy hormones were in full swing. "Can you make sure my babies are there when I come home?"

"Of course I will, Kate. How is Nemo?"

I looked down and smiled as the baby fluttered around happily. "Nemo is very, very active today—but probably flipping out because mama is anxious."

Castle sighed. "Just…take care of yourself, all right?"

"I will, Rick." I assured him, running my hands over my belly, trying to calm Nemo down. "I just wish that that I could feel a good _kick_ or something…"

"All in good time, I'm sure."

I smiled and then remembered where I was. "I have to go now, Rick. See you when I get home."

"All right." He agreed. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

I ended the call, and was thankful that the rest of my day was a blur. When I got home, I went into autopilot when I put my gun away, and changed into something a little more comfortable. Instead of giving Castle a proper greeting when I went back downstairs, I flopped down on the couch next to him and pulled my knees to my chest. I tried to take a few calming breaths, but it didn't work and I began to cry.

Castle got me glass of water, and let me have a drink once I had calmed down a little bit.

"Talk to me, Kate." He said firmly as he took me in his arms and rested his hands on my belly, knowing that I liked that. "What did you see today?"

"There was this girl, named Stella Rawlings, and she was just a little older than Alexis. She was _shot_ in cold blood by her boyfriend because she dropped a real bombshell on him: she was pregnant. He apparently couldn't take it because he shot himself in the head. Lanie thinks that it wasn't a murder suicide, but she's still working on that." I shivered and he pulled me closer. "This has hit all of us hard, especially Lanie and me because we were the only ones on scene who are pregnant."

"Oh, Kate." He murmured, trailing a few kisses along my jaw to my throat. "I am _so_ sorry."

I nodded, body arching slightly at the contact. "Where are my babies?" Looking around, I noticed that the girls weren't home yet. "Where are Alexis and LJ?"

As if on cue, the front door opened and the two girls in question walked in. LJ was dressed in a cute summer dress and sandals, and she was chattering happily to her sister. Alexis put her things away and helped LJ out of her shoes. The scene between them was so cute, and Alexis was once again in 'mom mode,' just as she always was with LJ.

Alexis and LJ's faces lit up when they saw us.

"Mama!" LJ cried as they came over and sat with us. I noticed how her face was painted like a lion. "Lexie an' Ashy tooked LJ to B'odway, an' we saw _the Lion King!"_

I smiled through my tears. LJ's happy spirit never failed to cheer me up. "Is that why you look like a lion?"

She nodded. "Yes." She outstretched her arms in front of her and curved her little fingers like they were claws. "LJ lion! ROAR!"

I humored her and pretended to be scared. LJ roared a few more times and leaned against me, sticking her thumb in her mouth. Her free hand rested on my belly. It was no secret that LJ was extremely possessive of her Nemo and Squishy. I stroked her hair absently and lifted the hand on my belly to my lips to kiss it. A faint smile crossed LJ's lips before she yanked her hand out of my grasp and returned it to my belly.

Alexis leaned over. "Are you all right, Kate?"

"It was a bad day at work, Sunshine."

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely. "I wish I could make it better."

"You did that just by coming home to me." I told her. "I've been thinking about you, LJ and your dad all day."

"Coming home to us at the end of the day is always worth it?"

I nodded. "Oh, yes, Alexis. It's worth it. Every single day, it's worth it, especially since this time last year, I never thought I'd have a family."

My dear friend smiled. "We've _always_ been your family, Kate. I'm just so glad that you've finally realized it."

I was about to respond when two things happened at once: I felt something like a sharp jab in the side of my belly, and LJ fell over into Castle's lap.

"Oh!" I cried out, feeling it again. "Oh, my God!"

I pulled back my shirt and looked down at my belly, prodding it gently. The reality of the situation sinking in. I looked at Castle and Alexis, and they were both thinking the same thing I was: _my baby had just kicked for the first time._ Like me, they were too stunned to do or say anything, but LJ sure wasn't.

"Mama!" she whined in annoyance as she sat up. "Nemo kick LJ!"

I found my voice, but it was tinged with happy tears. "That's right, Baby Bird. Nemo _did_ kick you, but you know what?"

"What?"

"That was the first time mama ever felt the baby kick like that."

Even under all of her face paint, my little girl's face was alight with joy. "Really? First time Nemo kick mama?"

"Yes."

"Why cryin'? Happy tears again?"

"That's right, Baby Bird."

She was about to respond to me, but we both grunted as Nemo kicked me again.

LJ leaned over my belly with both of her arms spread over it. "Nemo," she giggled. "You hafta stop kickin' right now. Mama an' me feelded you, so we no forget you." At this point, she showered lots of kisses on my belly and then reached for Alexis' hands, putting both of them on the spot where the baby was moving. "Guess what?" she patted Alexis' hands. "Lexie an' Squishy here, now. They love you, too. Lexie say love wins, an' she's right… but Lexie _always_ right…"

I turned to Castle and held his hand near LJ's and Alexis.'

"Rick?" I asked him as the girls spoke adoringly to Nemo.

"Hm?"

"I love you, and there's nothing that could _ever_ change that."

"Well, I'm glad, KB." He smiled. "I would be lost without you."

Using my free hand, I pulled him close by the collar and planted a searing kiss on his lips.

All that mattered in the world right now was my family.

That's all.

Nothing else.

Just my family.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Again, I hope no one OD'd on anything, because that means no gold stars for those shiny, shiny reviews.

**P.S.: **I forgot to say that Pixar owns Nemo & Squishy the sea creatures, but I own Nemo and Squishy the babies.


	13. Madison

**DISCLAIMER: **Are they _all_ my creations? I wish. As always, the ones that Andrew W. Marlowe didn't think of are mine. Everything else belongs to him, his writing team and ABC.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Lots of love, sparkles and gold stars to Happy2pester for sending me the **70****th** review!

**CHAPTER 13: MADISON **

_Kate's Point of View_

Thankfully, the Stella Rawlings case was and open and shut, even with one minor complication, so it was closed the day after we started working on it. That meant I could put it out of my mind as I went grocery shopping with Alexis and LJ.

"What exactly are we going to have for dinner?" Alexis wondered aloud as we walked through the aisles. "From what I gather, there are going to be at least two other little kids there besides LJ. We'd need something kid-friendly but not…_boring_ for," she stopped to count something. "For _eight_ adults…"

"I was thinking about spaghetti with homemade meatballs—"

LJ, who was trailing in between Alexis and me as I pushed the cart, jumped into the conversation. "LJ _love_ sketti an' meatballs! Help mama make 'em?"

"Yes, LJ." I nodded to her. "You can help me make them."

She squealed in delight and started chattering to herself and her toy pig, which, as always, was clutched in one of her hands.

I laughed and looked back at Alexis. "I was going to say that if you want to be in charge of side dishes and whatnot, go right ahead."

Alexis' eyes lit up. One of her favorite hobbies was cooking. "All right, Kate. I can do that."

LJ looked up at her sister. "Please to come wif you?"

"Sure, sweetheart." Alexis held her hand out and LJ took it. "You can help me pick out some yummy vegetables."

LJ wrinkled her nose and a comical look of disgust appeared on her face. "Veggies _yucky,_ Lexie!"

"But they're good for you."

LJ sensed that her big sister was digging her into a hole, and looked to me for help, all though the situation was usually vice versa.

"Hafta eat veggies, mama?" her voice was pleading.

"Yes, baby, you do, especially since my friend Maddie is bringing _her_ kids, and two of them are your age."

"Oh, yeah…" she remembered with a nod. "Hafta set a good essample…"

"That's right." I praised. "And you know what else?"

"What, mama?"

"Good little girls who eat all their vegetables get to eat _Fossil Fuel ice cream _with their friends!"

LJ gasped in pure excitement. Other than s'morelettes, marshmallow fluff, spaghetti, and grilled sandwiches, Ben & Jerry's Fossil Fuel ice cream was her Holy Grail of food.

"Okay, mama! LJ set good essample for your Maddie's kids!" Still holding Alexis' hand, she tugged on it impatiently. "C'mon, Lexie! _Let's go!_ Hafta go find veggies and Fossil Fuel!"

I smiled as Alexis let her sister lead the way toward the vegetable stand. Both of them were instantly in a deep discussion about what they were going to look for. When those two put their heads together for a project, they were an unstoppable force. God only knows what they'd come back with…

As I walked about the store, gathering ingredients for the night's meal, my thoughts were all over the place.

Emily was back in my life now, and she's all grown up.

She's also mine and Alexis' baby doctor, so that's going to make things a _lot_ more interesting.

Plus she's _married._ To Ryan's brother.

Ryan.

When I was rewarding him and Esposito with gold stars, I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes.

What had caused that expression?

Did it have something to with how he sees me as a mother figure?

Then there was the matter of Madison.

According to Emily, Madison is married now.

I wonder what her husband's name is?

Madison has two little stepsons, too…

I never would've pegged Madison as the mom type. But…people change.

And something happened to Madison's parents—Elijah and Lucy, apparently.

Something huge, because no one will tell me what happened to Melissa.

I wouldn't be surprised if _Madison_ can actually tell me what happened.

Madison.

I haven't seen her in two years.

How _is_ she?

As I made sure all of the right ingredients were in the cart and wondering where Alexis and LJ were, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and accidentally bumped into someone, causing them drop a bag of rice.

"I'm sorry." I bent down to pick the bag up. "I didn't—oh!"

When I returned the bag to the person, I felt my heart speed up and Nemo started kicking up a storm in reaction to that. I was face-to-face with none other than Madison Queller.

"Madison!" I put the bag of rice back in her cart. "Madison Queller! How are you?"

She looked just as surprised as me. "Becks! It's been so long!"

My friend pulled me into a hug, and when she did, I felt her stomach pressed against mine and noticed how firm it was.

"Maddie," I pulled back and touched her belly. "Are you pregnant?"

She nodded eagerly and ran a hand over her belly. "Three months along, and—"

Madison's attention was diverted when one of her little boys was tugging on her dress. That's when I suddenly noticed that Madison was accompanied by her two little stepsons, both of whom had Hispanic complexions and looked to be about LJ's age. I watched as Madison bent down to address the boy had tugged on her dress. I noticed that when Madison spoke, it was with hints of a Hispanic accent. When did _Madison_ get an accent?

"Yes, mijo? What is it?"

"Who that?" he pointed to me, and his twin immediately shoved him.

"No pointin,' Zeke!" his brother admonished him, speaking in an accent that matched Madison's. "Mama say rude to point, _'specially_ at señoras!"

"But, Mo!" Zeke whined at him. "Mamacita's friend _tan bonita!"_

I laughed, realizing that these little boys were speaking Spanglish. My Spanish skills weren't at all rusty, having spent a few of my holidays with Esposito's family, so I knew that Zeke had just said that I was so pretty.

"Yeah, she is…" Mo appeared to be thinking about his brother's observation.

Madison intervened before they could start fighting over me, using a firm voice that made the boys cringe. "Ezekiel, Moses, this is mama's friend, Katherine, but I'm sure you can call her—"

"Catalina!" Ezekiel chirped, using the Spanish form of my name. "Catalina, Catalina, Catalina!"

"_No!"_ Moses huffed, becoming adorably incensed. "Mamacita say _Kat'erine!"_

"Catalina!" Ezekiel called out in a sing-song voice, just to annoy his twin.

"Kat'erine!"

Madison sighed and stood up and Ezekiel into the shopping cart to separate them. Ezekiel was still taunting his brother, enjoying the fact that he was literally in a higher position than Moses. It made me wonder what things would've been like if Ryan and Esposito had known each other when they were little.

"Oh, the joys of parenting twin boys who speak Spanglish." Madison sighed. "They're probably going to be like that at dinner tonight. I apologize in advance, Kate."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter because once LJ meets them; we're going to be in for a three-headed hurricane…" She looked around. "Where is she, anyway? Emily mentioned she saw you two at the office."

"She's in here somewhere with Alexis. I sent them on a mission for vegetables and ice cream. Where's Melissa?"

Madison looked back down the aisle, and nodded toward a figure dressed in a cute summer outfit that looked like it was straight out of a Delia's catalogue. Melissa saw us looking at her and drifted over. The last time I'd seen her, she was two, but was now all grown up and probably the same age as Alexis. As I looked at her, I couldn't help but notice that she looked a little… _dead._

Nevertheless, I tried to be cheerful.

"Hi, Melissa. I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Kate. Last time I saw you, you were about two."

She didn't answer, but I saw a tiny flicker of light in her eyes. I looked to Madison for an explanation to her sister's silence.

"Melissa hasn't talked in a few months, Kate." Madison explained. "She's turned into an elective mute."

I was about to ask why when Alexis and LJ rounded the corner and walked up to us.

"And here are _my_ kids," I gestured to each of them in turn. "Alexis and LJ."

Alexis and LJ both said hello, but Alexis spoke up first. The cooking side of her brain was probably engaged right now.

"Are you Madison Queller, the one who owns the Q3?"

Madison smiled at the recognition and shook Alexis' hand. "Yes, that's me, but" She showed us a diamond wedding ring on her left hand. "My name is Madison Queller de Àlvarez now, but you must be Richard Castle's daughter, Alexis. I met your dad during a case once…"

I tried not blush as I remembered some comments during that case about me having the hots for Castle and wanting to have Castle's babies. Neither Alexis nor Madison noticed me.

"Yes, I am." Alexis nodded. "I remember dad talking about that case."

"Scuze me!" LJ piped up, toddling over so she was standing between Madison and me. "Scuze me!"

Madison bent down to her level. "Are you Lily Joy?"

"Yes," LJ puffed out her chest in importance. "But please to call me LJ. Is you my mama's Maddie?"

Madison looked amused when LJ referred to her as mine. "Yes, LJ, I am."

LJ grinned broadly and then looked over at Ezekiel and Moses, who had stopped fighting and were now tracking LJ's every movement with their eyes. Madison, Melissa, Alexis and I stood together to watch them as LJ approached. I found it very amusing that both boys, particularly Ezekiel, who was still in the cart, regarded her with awe.

"What your names?"

"Ezekiel." Ezekiel pointed to himself and then to his brother. "Moses."

"Zeke and Mo?" LJ tried.

"Si." Ezekiel nodded and pressed his hand against the cart. "Mamacita say your name lirio de alegría? Lily Joy?"

"Zeke!" Moses whined again. "Ella no habla Spanglish!"

LJ giggled at him and then pressed one of her little hands against Ezekiel's.

"Mo silly, Zeke." Ezekiel nodded, and that succeeded in ticking Moses off yet again. "LJ un'erstan' you. Please to say LJ again?"

"Lirio de alegría." He repeated, just as LJ burst into a fit of giggles she could hardly contain. She was clearly smitten with him. "You un'erstan' me?"

"Si." LJ mimicked one of his words from earlier, and I raised my eyebrows, surprised that she had used it in the right context. "LJ does."

There was nothing but pure love on Ezekiel's face at her words. Keeping his hand pressed against LJ's like it was a lifeline, he turned to me.

"Catalina, please to marry your LJ? _Promise_ I take _good_ care of her."

I smiled at his words and walked over to the cart and put a hand on his shoulder, trying not to tear up. "Tell you what, little man: if you can remember to ask me that when you and LJ are grown ups, LJ's dad and I will say yes."

His face lit up. "Gracias, Lina!"

Ezekiel turned back to LJ and the two of them began chattering happily at each other, holding hands through the wiring on the cart. Moses just watched them.

"I call dibs on planning their wedding." Alexis said. "I can see it now…"

I saw the flicker of light in Melissa's eyes again, a ghost of a smile, and I wandered for umpteenth time what had happened to make her behave this way.

Next to me, Madison shook her head. "Dangerous move, Kate. Zeke remembers _everything,_ so he really will be knocking on yours and Rick's door someday, asking to marry LJ."

"But then we'd be related!"

Alexis interrupted. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but LJ and I have some ice cream here," she held up her basket. "And it's in danger of melting…"

"Right." I nodded, trying to get things rolling. "We gotta go, Maddie. Food to cook."

"Yes," she agreed. "We have things to get to, as well, but getting the three amigos over there to separate is going to be tricky."

We all looked over at the little kids, who were deep in discussion about their favorite books. The boys were very impressed that LJ's dad is a famous author. As they talked, it was hard to separate who was speaking English and who was speaking Spanglish. When Madison and I told the kids that it was time to go, LJ and Zeke looked dangerously close to throwing tantrums, but Moses was already crying. (I felt a little bad for him because he made it so easy to figure out who the tougher twin was, and it obviously wasn't him) I came to the rescue before it was too late by promising all of them lots of food and Fossil Fuel later on. They all came to an agreement about that and I made it to the register with the kids peacefully.

By the time we had gotten home and getting ready to make the meatballs, LJ was chattering nonstop to herself and her pig, and she was talking all about Ezekiel and Moses. I was amused when I realized that some of their Spanish vocabulary had worked its way into hers. However, I was high _unamused_ when I realized that her father's gift of gab was showing itself, because that meant we were all in for a _long_ afternoon.

**AN: **Another chapter knocked out of the park! I hope my Spanish was okay, because it's not my native language. My apologies to any Spanish speakers if I butchered it. But anyway…gold stars to everyone who pushes the magic let's-make-a-review-and-please-Alex button down there!


	14. Catching Up With the Quellers

**DISCLAIMER: **Mine? Nope. Mr Marlowe's? Yep.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** My apologies to my Hispanic and Australian readers if I messed up in this chapter when it comes to mentioning your cultures. Please don't hate me and/or give me flames about it, because I won't like that very much. I tried my best, but I _will_ take _kind_ pointers, if anybody has anything to mention about the Hispanic or Australian cultures.

**CHAPTER 14: CATCHING UP WITH THE QUELLERS**

_Kate's Point of View_

When the clock on the microwave read 6:00, I cast a look at LJ and gasped. She was covered from head to toe in pasta sauce and ground turkey. Cookie dough from the cookies we were making, along with the flour, jam and powdered sugar, were smeared on her face and in her hair.

"What lookin' at, mama?" she asked innocently.

"Miss Lily," I put my hands on my hips. "You're really dirty."

She looked at her hands and then hid them behind her back, a cheeky smile plastered on her face. "Nuh-uh! LJ no dirty!"

"You need a bath, Baby Bird."

Her eyes grew wide with alarm because she _hated_ the idea of getting ready for a bath. A resounding 'no!' was heard before she darted off across the loft, laughing hysterically. Castle came out of his office just as she ran past him.

"What did I miss?"

"All I did was mention that it was bath time." I sighed. "She's on the run now."

Right at that particular moment, LJ ran past us, but she was missing her clothes this time.

There were some days when being the mother of a toddler was as amusing as it was frustrating.

This was definitely one of those days.

_Alexis' Point of View_

After coming home from the store, I felt really tired and in need of a nap. Once Kate assured me that it would be all right without my help in the kitchen, I retreated into my room and fell asleep singing a soft lullaby to Squishy, who was fluttering about restlessly. When I woke up two hours later, feeling happy and refreshed, I headed downstairs just in time to intercept a very nude and sticky LJ. Taking in her appearance, I immediately held her at arm's length.

"Does anyone want to tell me why I'm holding a naked and _sticky_ baby in my arms?"

Before either dad or Kate answered, the front door opened and Gram entered. She halted in her tracks as she took in the scene before her. LJ was very aware of the situation and waved at Gram, as if being naked and sticky in my arms was something she did every day.

Gram looked at me. "I just stopped by because I have some time to kill before I need to be on Broadway, but I see that you literally have your hands full with LJ. Do I even _want_ to know, darling?"

I shrugged and held the still-wiggling LJ tightly under one of my arms. I was going to change later, anyway, so it didn't really matter if my clothes got dirty.

"I don't know, Gram." I confessed. "All I did was come down and intercept LJ before she plowed me over." I looked back at the others. "Still waiting for an answer, here!"

"LJ needs a bath," Dad explained as he picked up the clothes LJ had left on the floor. "But as usual, she isn't taking too well to the idea."

"No bath!" LJ squawked. "NO!"

I addressed my sister, who was still clamped under my arm. "Hey, now, little sis. You _need_ to have a bath today. Know why?"

LJ crossed her arms in a pout, but did stop trying to escape. "Why need bath, Lexie?"

"Ezekiel and Moses and Melissa and their parents are going to be here in an hour! So are Emily and her husband. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. LJ, Zeke an' Mo eat Fossil Fuel…" she thought about something for a second before looking up at me. "LJ say something?"

"Of course you may."

"LJ take bath if Lexie does it, an' helps wif dresses _an'_ braids hair. Please? Mama braids good, but you better."

I tried not laugh as she insulted Kate's braiding skills. "Deal!"

Looking over at Dad, Kate and Gram, I saw that they all had looks of surprise on their faces.

Gram shook her head and laughed. "You're going to be a great mother, Alexis. You already have the bargaining part down quite well."

Kate just turned to dad. "LJ is _so_ your kid today!"

I looked down at LJ. "You ready for a bath now?"

"Yes, please!" she clapped her hands happily. "Gots to look pretty for Zeke and Mo!"

Once the water was drawn in the tub and LJ was splashing around happily, I got down on my knees next to the tub to get ready to wash her, but I stopped, when I felt Squishy moving around a little bit more than usual. LJ noticed and leaned over the edge of the tub, sloshing water over the edge.

"Lexie okay?" Her little face was full of the utmost concern. "Squishy kickin'?"

"No, LJ, not yet. He's just moving faster than normal."

She pouted, but returned to splashing around in the water. Ever since Nemo had kicked her, LJ had asked me every day, _several_ times a day, if Squishy had kicked me yet. The answer was always the same: no.

"Still promise tell LJ when Squishy kick?"

I touched her nose with the tip of my finger, and it caused her nose to wrinkle and make her burst out into giggles, but they were nowhere near the type of giggles that Ezekiel got out of her earlier today. (I haven't been able to understand what she finds so hilarious about me touching her nose like that, but it's our thing now.)

"You know I'll tell you, baby girl." I kissed her one the forehead. "Now please pass me the soap."

Fifteen minutes later, LJ was free of all the stuff that she had collected on her body and in her hair while she had been cooking with Kate. Just when I thought she was finally going to behave, she shook herself out of the towel wrapped around her and was naked once more. It took me a few minutes, but I eventually herded her into her room and got her into her underwear before she talked to me about what she wanted to wear.

"Please to match dresses wif you?" she asked cutely. "LJ like matchin' wif her Lexie."

I smiled. "Of course you can match with me." She clapped happily at my words. "Which one do you—"

"That one!" LJ was already pointing at a dress hanging up in her closest. "LJ pick that one!"

I went over to the dress and pulled it down to examine it. The dress was a cute little cerulean blue cotton spring jumper with tie-up straps, and trimmed with red-orange. A cartoon image of a long neck dinosaur was in the corner, same color as the dress trim.

"Since when do you like dinosaurs, LJ?" I helped her get the dress over her head and tie the straps up. "I didn't know you liked dinosaurs."

"LJ like din'saurs since the museum two sleeps ago!" she explained, and I remembered that dad had taken LJ on her first trip to the museum two days ago. "Daddy letted me to have this dress later."

"It's very pretty." I commented, noticing how her dress flared out when I smoothed the wrinkles out with my hands. "I like it a lot."

"Tank you, Lexie." She looked up at me. "Please to braid hair now? French braid?"

"All right, but we have to go to my room because I need to change clothes, too."

LJ saw the logic in this and agreed to follow me, but not before grabbing her stuffed pig a set of dinosaur decorated ponytail holders off her bed. When we got to my room, I sat on my bed and LJ sat in front of me to watch _Scooby-Doo_ on my TV as I put her hair up into her favorite hairstyle.

LJ didn't even notice when I was done because she was so wrapped up in the show. I slipped off the bed and into my closet, heading straight for my dresses. During one of my of my recent shopping excursions with Kate, I had found a really cute but simple sleeveless dress with a small scoop neck and a gathered waist. One of the things that Kate had pointed out about it when I picked it up off the rick was that it showed off the size of my belly, and I was very comfortable about my pregnancy now, so I didn't try to hide it. I ran a comb rough my hair and was placing a peacock feathered headband in my hair when LJ wandered over to me.

"You _really_ pretty, Lexie." She said in a breathy voice. "LJ gots the prettiest sister in the whole wide world."

I picked her up and gave her a huge hug. "I've got the prettiest sister, too." Pausing a second, an idea crossed my idea as I saw my phone lying on my dresser. "Do you want to take a picture?"

LJ's eyes lit up. She _loves_ taking pictures. "Yeah! Picture, Lexie! We take picture!"

After snapping a few pictures on my phone, a familiar sound filled the apartment: the buzzer on the front door. LJ realized what that meant and slipped out of my arms and bolted out of the room with me hot on her tail.

_Kate's Point of View_

Martha left before our company arrived, so she didn't get to see Alexis and LJ, who were both in cerulean blue dresses, came down the stairs just as I went to open the front door. Emily and her husband were on the other side. I stepped aside to let them enter and Castle and I took their things and hung them up in the closet. Alexis and LJ were happy to see Emily again, so they both hugged her after I introduced her to Castle.

And then there was Thomas. Looks alone proved that he was Ryan's brother, but the only differences were that Thomas looked like a broader and slightly younger version of his brother, and he had an Australian accent.

He held a gift box of chocolates toward me in a good gesture. "I was going to bring a bottle of wine," He explained as I thanked him and took the box, placing it on the island counter. "But then Em reminded me that I was going to be in the company of four pregnant women tonight, so that wouldn't be too good of an idea."

"And so we opted for the next best thing," Emily put in. "And we decided to get chocolates, instead."

"That was very nice of you." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Castle sneak his hand toward the box, so I slapped it without breaking eye contact with Emily and Thomas. "Remind me: is the part where you come to someone's house bearing gifts an Australian thing?"

Emily nodded. She and her sisters were the daughters of first generation Australian-Americans. "Yes, some habits die hard."

Castle and I looked at Thomas curiously, because as far as we knew, the Ryan family is Irish, and not Australian. "I picked up some things when I was at the University of Sydney."

I looked over at Emily and raised an eyebrow, expecting her to explain herself, but she just changed the subject. "Just wait until Madison comes with her husband and their boys. Maddie's husband, Nicolas, is from Argentina, and the social customs with gift-giving are similar. I wouldn't be surprised if at least two of them come with gifts, too."

Right at this moment, LJ, who had been standing a few feet to the side of the door and watching it like a hawk, heaved a heavy and looked at Castle and me with huge puppy dog tears in her eyes.

"Where LJ's Zeke an' Mo?"

We were about to respond, but were saved when the buzzer suddenly sounded. LJ's mood changed so quickly that it was slightly frightening. She wiped the tears from her eyes and bounced around on her feet impatiently as I opened the door to let Madison and her family in. The twins were barely in the door when LJ tackled them both in a hug, saying how much that she missed them. The boys returned her hugs and her words, but what they did next really knocked it out of the park.

When Madison and Nicolas had entered the loft with the boys, Madison had been carrying a mini bouquet of lilies in her hand. The stems of the flowers were wrapped together with blue and green silk floral ribbons, tied with a bow at the front. We watched as Moses took the bouquet from Madison and make his way to LJ, only to be intercepted by Ezekiel about halfway there. He succeeded in tripping his brother on purpose and taking the flowers away from him in one swift motion. LJ found this scene amusing.

Ezekiel sidled up to LJ, as easy as you please, and presented her with the bouquet. The look on LJ's face when she realized that the flowers were lilies was so precious, and it was one of those moments that you'd never forget as long as you live. Alexis had the foresight to capture that moment in a picture with her phone, as well as the moment when LJ hugged Ezekiel close, like they were the only two people in the universe.

I think a twinge of pity found its way into LJ's heart when she looked and saw that Moses was still on the floor, pouting from having been tripped. LJ walked over, tucking the flowers under her other arm and pulled him to his feet. She lovingly dusted him off.

"My Moses okay?" she asked in concern as Ezekiel joined them.

"Yeah…"

Ezekiel felt bad and apologized. "Lo siento, Mo."

LJ let Moses know how she felt, too. "Lo siento 'bout laughin', Momo."

I was once more surprised about LJ using Spanish in the right context, but then I realized that she _is_ her father's daughter, so being a quick learner comes natural to her.

Moses mumbled a response. "S'okay, amigos…"

LJ smiled kindly at Moses. "Guess what?"

Her friend was genuinely curious and forgot his sadness. "Que, LJ?"

She pointed to the ribbons on the bouquet. "LJ _love_ green an' blue."

Moses' face lit up in pride. "I pickeded the colors jus' for you."

LJ's smile grew even more. "Know what, Mo?"

"Que?"

"You be at me and Zeke's wedding." The kids must have forgotten that they had an audience; otherwise LJ would have _never_ said what she said next. "LJ love Zeke, but Mo _always_ gon' be bestest friends wif me an' Zeke."

Ezekiel stepped closer to his brother. "You be best hombre, like _we_ were at papa an' mama's weddin'."

"An' like at Tía Emmy's an' Tío Tomas', too?" Moses sniffed.

His brother nodded earnestly. "Si, mi hermano."

None of us had been expecting any of this to happen, but we sure as hell weren't expecting the next part at all. LJ was holding out her stuffed pig to Moses, the same pig that she had previously clocked a kid on the playground about for getting too close to.

"Please to give 'Livia hug? Make all better."

Moses was reaching for the toy when he stopped and caught sight of the dinosaur on LJ's dress. Zeke followed his gaze and spotted it, too. The two of them gazed at LJ in renewed awe.

"You like din'saurs?" Moses asked cautiously.

"LJ _love_ din'saurs." She informed them.

Moses' smile became so big that I briefly wondered how his tiny face could contain it. He hurried as fast as his little legs could carry him toward Madison's purse, talking to himself in rapid Spanglish. Ezekiel, on the other hand, fell to his knees at me feet and looked up at me with his hands clasped together.

"Por favor to marry your LJ _now, _Catalina? Por favor? _Promesa_ I take good care of her!" he inched forward a little bit, still pleading. _"Mi chica likes din'saurs!"_

Castle and I got down on his level, well aware that all of the adults in the room were watching, while LJ and Moses were doing their own thing. I pulled the little boy into my arms, and he leaned against me casually, putting an arm around my neck.

"I told you, little man," I rubbed his arm gently. "You've gotta ask me and LJ's daddy when you and LJ are grown ups."

"Okay." He sighed heavily and turned around to look at Castle. "You're my LJ's papa?"

"Yes, I am." I saw the wheels turning in Castle's head as he thought of what he was going to say. "Come here a second. I have a mission for you, Ezekiel."

Emily pulled me to my feet as Ezekiel walked over to Castle. Along with the others, we watched the two of them have a heart-to-heart conversation.

"What's the mission, Tío Castle?"

"You see LJ over there with Moses?"

Ezekiel cast a look at his sweetheart, who was chattering happily with his twin. There was a brightly wrapped package on the floor next to LJ, but she seemed to have put it aside for the time being.

"Yeah." He nodded, turning back to Castle. "Ella talkin' wif him."

"Do you want to know what your mission is?"

Ezekiel nodded and stood at attention. Anything to do with his girl was important. "Si, por favor, Tío Castle."

"I need you to take care of LJ, okay? Keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble."

"Protec' her from mean niños grandes? Like at patio de recreo? Playgroun'?"

"Exactly." Castle confirmed. "Take care of her now, and we will let you take care of her when she's bigger if you ask us. It'll be a long time before that happens, but you can still take care of her now."

Ezekiel's eyes grew wide with excitement as he processed Castle's words. "Okay, Tío Castle! I take good care of your LJ forever an' ever! She my princesa!"

The little boy ran over to his friends and Castle stood up to join us. Nicolas shook his head and turned to Madison. "Okay, mi amor, you win: we are _so_ going to end up being related to Kate and Rick someday."

A cry of happy delight suddenly filled the air, and we looked over toward LJ, who had ripped the wrapping paper of the package the twins had given her. She was hold a stuffed long neck dinosaur aloft, going on and on about how that was her favorite dinosaur ever.

Dinner was a considerably noisier affair because there were so many extra people, but it was still fun. LJ, Ezekiel and Moses were sitting at a kid sized table a little ways away from us, and while sat on my left, Alexis sat on my right and Melissa was on the other side of that while Madison, Nicolas, Emily and Thomas occupied the rest of the seats. I don't think that Melissa will be talking anytime soon, and Alexis seems to understand that because even though they were in the middle of a lot of noise, the pair of them seemed to be enjoying each other's company, and they had settled into a companionable silence.

Castle eventually steered the conversation towards Emily and Thomas. "How did you two meet?"

Emily looked at her husband. "Do you want to say it, or shall I?"

"You can." Thomas helped himself to more spaghetti. "You're the better story teller."

Emily took the compliment and looked at us. "I met Thomas just over two years ago in Australia, when I was attending a conference at the University of Sydney. He actually sat next to me in the on the first on the first day, and we got to talking and found out that we both had a lot in common, including having family back home in New York."

"When things were done for the day," Thomas added with a sly smile. "I invited her out to a local pub for a drink, and she said yes." Emily blushed furiously at his words, no doubt remembering something from that night. Madison and I both smirked, and there was a ghost of a smile on Melissa's face. "Em hadn't checked in to the hotel yet because she had been so busy on the day she arrived, so I decided to see that she made it into her room safely, only…"

He looked at her, and she kept finished. "Only it turned out that the hotel had overlooked my reservation and gave it away to someone else."

"What did you do after that?" Alexis wanted to know.

Emily cast a cursory glance at Castle and I and then over at the little kids, all three of whom were still happily in La-La Land before answering the question. "At the risk of little ears picking up on this conversation, I'll just say this: Thomas invited me to stay in his flat while I was in town, and the rest is history."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, all right, but when did you two come back home and get married?"

At this, Emily immediately fell silent and a dark look clouded her face, and Melissa took her time as she loaded more food on her plate, while Madison's expression was suddenly unreadable. Poor Thomas and Nicolas looked a little flustered by the reactions of their family.

I was puzzled. "Did I say something wrong?"

Madison shook her head. "No, Kate, you didn't. You just struck a nerve with us."

"I'm sorry." I apologized, feeling like a little kid. "I didn't mean to."

"Of course not." Madison smiled a little bit. "You couldn't have known."

"And you're not going to know," Emily spoke up. "Until the little ones are somewhere they can't overhear us." She looked over at her older sister. "Why don't you explain how you and Nicolas met?"

Madison nodded and immediately launched into a story that included a rainy day at the mall, spilled coffee, a dinner date, and a first kiss during family movie night, among other things. It wasn't until later, after the dinner dishes were taken care of and the kids had wandered into LJ's playroom and we, the adults, were in the living room sitting on the couch and surrounding furniture that Emily began to speak.

"Bad luck has a tendency to follow me," She explained. "So of course I missed my return flight on my last day in Sydney. Thomas and I spent the night together…and I left the next morning." A sad sigh escaped her lips. "We did the long distance relationship thing since Thomas was there on a student visa, and he moved in with me when he returned. I met his family soon thereafter…and we were married."

"How long from the time you met to the time you married?" I asked. "I won't judge, Emily. I'm just curious."

"Just under a year." Emily smiled as Thomas held her hand in his and kissed it. "Some people believe in soul mates and things like that, and Thomas and I are two of them."

_Alexis' Point of View_

As Melissa and I shared the huge armchair facing the couch, I noticed that she was becoming even more tense by the minute as her sisters talked about their love lives, particularly the events leading up to Emily and Thomas' wedding. I barely knew her, but I sensed that we were about to tread into a dark place, so I let her rest her head on my shoulder as she put an arm around my waist. My new friend seemed to be one of those people who needed physical contact when she was upset.

"It's going to be okay, Melissa." I whispered, offering her my hand. "Just hold my hand, okay?"

She nodded and held on for dear life. There was something that was _really_ bothering her. I found out what it was a second later, because Emily's voice was thick with emotion when she spoke to Kate and dad.

"When Thomas and I returned from our honeymoon in Ireland," she was saying. "I got a phone call from the county morgue, from your Doctor Parish, actually," I saw Kate raise an eyebrow at the mention of her sister-friend. "And she asked me to come down to the morgue for an identification. We met Maddie and Nicolas there, too. I felt sick to my stomach after that…"

Her voice trailed off, and Madison picked up. "But that fear was warranted. We had to identify our parents' bodies." She rubbed her baby bump absently and leaned into her husband's arms as Kate turned chalky white. "Kate, my parents were mugged in Central Park, and there were no witnesses. Melissa was there, too."

"I-I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to her…"

Everybody looked at her, as if she would choose now of all times to speak. Instead, Melissa was immediately on the verge of tears. Standing up, she all but yanked me to my feet and led me to the furthest spot possible away from them: the music room. She sat down on the piano bench and then motioned for me to stand in front of her.

With shaky hands, she pulled back her sweater sleeves and turned her wrists out toward me. My heart crumbled into a million little pieces because her wrists had a few cuts on each of them, and from the coloring, I realized that they were at least three months old. (I bit my tongue to ask if the cuts were made by a knife because it looked like they were) The look on her face told me that these wounds weren't self-inflicted. She had gotten them during the mugging that had claimed her parents' lives.

I tried to speak, but she shook her head and pulled her shirt up to reveal her midriff, which had a scar on it. Twisting around a little, she exposed her back and I saw that there were lots of scars there, too.

Melissa had been _tortured…_

When she turned to face me, her shoulders were shaking as she sobbed silently. My maternal instinct had completely taken over by now, so I pulled her to her feet and into my arms and hugged her close, whispering gently to her.

"I'm sorry that you were hurt, Melissa. I am _so_ sorry." A new thought suddenly crossed my mind and I pulled back to look at her. "Do you like violin music?"

She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand in a childish manner as she nodded. I sat her back down on the bench and pulled removed my violin from its case on a nearby shelf. After a quick tune up, I played her one of my favorite songs of all time: _Running Up That Hill._

My heart turned over when I was done because my friend was smiling a smile that I was quite sure was her first real smile in a very long time. I struggled in an effort not to drop my violin after what happened next.

_Melissa spoke._

"Alexis?"

Her voice was a little hoarse after such a long period of silence, but my heart turned over, nevertheless because her first word was _my_ name.

I couldn't keep from smiling. "Yes, Melissa?"

"I-I know that song, too." She patted a spot on the bench next to her before turning to face the keyboard. "Siéntate, please."

I obliged and watched as she began to play, slightly surprised that her singing voice was decent after all her silence.

_It doesn't hurt me  
You wanna feel how it feels?  
You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me?  
You wanna hear about the deal I'm making?  
You be running up that hill  
You and me be running up that hill  
And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get him to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
Be running up that building  
If I only could, oh...  
You don't wanna hurt me,  
But see how deep the bullet lies  
Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder  
There's a thunder in our hearts, baby  
So much hate for the ones we love?  
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?  
You, be running up that hill  
You and me, be running up that hill  
You and me won't be unhappy  
And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get him to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
Be running up that building,  
If I only could, oh...  
C'mon, baby, c'mon, c'mon, darling,  
Let me steal this moment from you now  
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,  
Let's exchange the experience, oh...  
And if I only could,  
Make a deal with God,  
And get him to swap our places,  
Be running up that road,  
Be running up that hill,  
With no problems _

_With no problems  
If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

_If I only could, be running up that hill_

I smiled happily at her when she was done, and she returned my smile. It went without saying that we were best friends now.

"Melissa, I—oh!"

My words were cut off as I felt a swift kick near my navel. I pulled back my shirt and looked down at my belly in awe and wonder. My baby was kicking, actually _kicking_ for the first time!

Melissa spoke to me, forcing me to look away from my belly. "Alexis, is your baby kicking?"

I nodded, wiping my tears. "Yes, and it's the first time, too. Here."

Taking her hand, I held it firmly to the spot where the baby was kicking away happily. My friend couldn't keep herself from smiling as she leaned forward and began to speak the baby in Spanglish.

A small herd of footsteps in the doorway alerted us to the presence of the little kids.

"What's happenin'?" Moses asked curiously. "Why happy?"

"Bebé kickin' Lexie's tummy?" Ezekiel wanted to know.

Melissa answered for me, and there was a real twinkle in her eyes. "Sí, Ezequiel."

His mouth, as well as Moses' and LJ's dropped open for two different reasons. The twins were stunned into silence that Melissa was speaking, let alone speaking _their_ language and LJ's mouth dropped open to emit a happy squeal.

_Kate's Point of View_

After Madison and Emily talked about the day their parents died and how Melissa got hurt, we quickly moved on to other topics and eventually settled onto a comfortable silence which Castle broke after a minute.

"Is it just me, or is it _way_ too quiet in here?"

"I was about to say the same thing." Nicolas commented.

"Me, too…" Thomas added.

Madison looked around. "When an unnatural silence happens in our house, it usually means that the boys left us a surprise somewhere, and they're waiting for us to find it."

Emily shuddered. "I've been on the receiving end of said surprises several times."

A sudden chattering noise reached my ears. "Do you guys hear that?" I asked, standing up. "I think I know what's going on."

The others followed me over to the music room and we were met with one of the most beautiful scenes I had ever seen: Alexis was leaning back in an armchair, holding her shirt back so her swollen belly was completely exposed. Melissa, LJ, Ezekiel and Moses each had their hands on it, speaking softly to the baby inside.

The best part? The kids never noticed us.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **If y'all hate me writing such a long chapter, keep the comments to yourselves because I will deprive you of gold stars, and I _hate_ outright criticism. This length was necessary.

**P.S.: **A brilliant as the song is, I don't own _Running Up That Hill_ because Placebo does :(


	15. Mother's Day, Part One

**DISCLAIMER: **Despite all of the attention this story is getting, my cast of original characters—LJ, Melissa, Zeke, Moses, Nemo, Squishy, Emily, Thomas and Nicolas—are the only ones who belong to me. Everything else will always belong to Mr Marlowe & ABC…even if I worked for free…

**CHAPTER 15: MOTHER'S DAY, PART ONE**

_Castle's Point of View_

Mother's Day rolled around eventually, and I realized that in addition to doing something nice for Mother like I did every year, I also had to do something for Kate and Alexis, too. This was going to be their first Mother's Day as mothers. I knew Kate would love it, because she had been looking forward to it, and her enthusiasm was contagious because LJ couldn't stop talking about it, either. Kate was in such a happy mood, especially yesterday, that she went on a baking frenzy and baked a few dozen cookies of different assortments, and Alexis and LJ helped. Kate's enthusiasm was so contagious that LJ's voice gave out by the time she fell asleep, watching _Scooby Doo_ with Alexis.

Alexis, on the other hand, was trying to get used to the fact that she was going to go through Mother's Day pregnant this time around. When Kate, LJ and I returned from our shopping trip to the grocery store to buy baking supplies, we found her crying her guts out on the couch. We eventually gathered from her that she was a little jealous that Kate already had a child who was going to be around on Mother's Day. Alexis said she knew that her baby counted for something, but it just wasn't the same. LJ stopped Alexis' tears by dutifully wiping them away with her little hands and placing her new set of cookie cutters in her lap and demanding that she bake cookies with her and Kate. Alexis' mood grew considerably lighter after that, especially when Kate and I heard LJ inform Alexis that even though they were sisters, LJ was going to be Alexis' baby, too.

I would've helped my girls with their baking frenzy, but Kate promised me bodily harm if I didn't keep my nose to the grindstone for a few hours and work on a couple chapters of my latest Nikki Heat book. (I was very amused that Kate took her role as my muse that seriously) I resigned myself to my office for a few hours to work, and I was very glad, because Kate, Alexis and LJ couldn't hear the phone conversations I had.

The first phone call came from Ryan and Jenny. They were calling to extend an invitation to us to come out to Jenny's parents' house in Flushing. Jenny's parents always had a family barbeque on Mother's Day and their children and their family friends were always in attendance. Ryan started to say that Jenny had also started 'babbling' to her parents, but that was as far as he got because Jenny intercepted the phone and said that Ryan was exaggerating when he used the word 'babbling,' and that the correct explanation was that she had mentioned our family and Lanie and Esposito to her parents and they wanted to meet all of us. After accepting the invitation, she said that she and Ryan were anxious to spend some time with their goddaughter, so she extended an offer on her and Ryan's behalf to take LJ for the day and meet up with us at Jenny's parents' place later. I agreed to this, knowing LJ would be thrilled to pieces to spend the day with two of her favorite people. Deciding to surprise Kate with this, I told Jenny to make sure that she and Ryan didn't say anything about it just yet, and she agreed, making sure that Ryan would agree, too. Ryan took the phone from his fiancée at that point to get one last word in: he'd left a letter with Kate the previous day and given her specific instructions not to open it until she opened her presents. I was curious about what the letter said, but I promised to make sure that she didn't open it before then.

The second phone call came a little while later from Ashley. He was calling to ask if he could come and pick Alexis up in the morning because he wanted to take her out to lunch and then hang out with her for the rest of the day with her since it was going to be her first Mother's Day as a mother, even though she's pregnant. He also wanted to surprise her, so he asked me to make sure she didn't leave the loft and was at least dressed for the day by the time he got there. I agreed to his conditions but felt obligated to mention Alexis' meltdown about her feelings towards the holiday. Ashley assured me that he would take care of Alexis if it happened again. He also told me not to worry about money because he had it all taken care of. (Just for that, he earned ten more points for stepping up to the plate to take care of Alexis)

After disentangling myself from the arms of a very sleepy Kate and convincing her to go back to sleep, I got myself ready for the morning, I slipped across the hallway to check on Alexis to make sure that she wasn't awake yet, because the last thing I needed was for her or Kate to wake up before my surprise for them was done. She was still out cold.

I went next door to LJ's room and entered. She was sound asleep on her bed in her _Scooby Doo_ pajamas, and as usual, her blankets were kicked back to the foot of her bed. Olivia the pig was clamped under her arm, and Lieutenant Cuddles the dinosaur was keeping watch next to her. Crossing over to the windows, I pulled back the curtains to let the sunlight in. Turning back to LJ's bed, my heart sped up a little bit when I saw how innocent and peaceful she looked in her sleep. I felt a brief pang of regret that I wasn't there when she was born, but that feeling left when I saw that LJ was waking up.

LJ's face lit up when she saw me and held her arms up for a hug. "Happy mornin' time, daddy." Her voice was still scratchy, since it had given out the previous day, but my heart still turned over at her sunny side disposition. I picked her up and she immediately cuddled close, resting her head on my shoulder. LJ's pig and dinosaur were in her arms, and her voice was punctured by a huge yawn. "L-love to you this morning."

I gave her a warm hug, having learned long ago to stop questioning where her frightening cheerfulness came from, and instead cherished the moment, knowing that she wouldn't always be like this. "Good morning, baby angel. I love you, too." Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I gave her a backrub and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "Do you remember what today is?"

Her freckled nose scrunched up comically as she wracked her brain for a minute before answering in a matching tone. "It's Mama's Day t'day!"

"Exactly right. If we want to everything to go according to plan, you need to behave and not give any of the surprises away because there's even one for you."

LJ gasped in excitement, but then quickly regained control of herself in a classic Kate Beckett manner. "LJ gots poker face on."

LJ had been in attendance at a recent poker game in which Alexis, Ashley and Melissa owned the night and beat Connelly, Lehane and Patterson. Fascinated beyond words, LJ had spent most of the night sitting on Patterson's lap to watch the game.

"That's my girl." I set her down on the floor and she stretched her little body like she was a cat. "Are you ready?"

"Hafta go potty first."

_Alexis' Point of View_

After being woken up by Squishy kicking my bladder and getting up to relieve myself, I sat back down on my bed, leaning back on one hand resting the other on top of my five month pregnant belly. A smile crossed my face as I felt the baby turn, kick and stretch under the feeling of my hand alone. The baby moved a lot, especially when someone was playing an instrument, but it only ever moved like _this_ in the mornings.

A soft knock and the sound of my door being pushed back made me look up. Dad and LJ were standing in the doorway. LJ's face fell a little when she saw I was awake, and she pouted.

"Lexie s'posed to sleep now!"

"Hey, it's okay, LJ!" I held my arms out to her. "Come here!"

My little sister ran over and I picked her up, sitting her on the bed. She immediately crawled over to me and wrapped her little arms around as much of me as she could.

"Happy Mama's Day!" she chirped happily. "Love to you!"

"Thank you, LJ." I touched my fingertip to her nose and as usual, she burst into giggles. "Did you have a good sleep?"

She nodded, and a sudden serious look crossed her face. "Gots to say somethin'."

"Oh?" I pulled her into my arms and she leaned against me. "What would that be, sweetheart?"

"You no say not a mama yet, 'cause you _are."_ LJ regarded my belly for second and rubbed soothing circles on it. Squishy kicked her and her smile grew, so she kissed gave my belly a huge hug and kiss before looking me square in the eyes. "Squishy kick LJ. You _Squishy's_ mama."

Her words went straight to my heart and I held her against me and played with her hair for a minute as I tried not to cry. She pulled away after a few moments.

"Lexie?"

"Yes?"

"Hafta wake up mama now." She tugged on my hands. "Lexie help LJ."

With help from dad, I got out of bed and let LJ lead me into dad and Kate's room. Going towards the bed, we saw Kate was sound asleep, so I scooped LJ up in my arms and we went to investigate a little more. Kate was still sleeping, so I sat next to her, letting LJ crawl out of my arms and over to the sleeping figure. Bless LJ's little heart, she began to talk to Kate and stroke her face gently.

_Kate's Point of View_

I woke up to the feeling of tiny hands stroking my face and to a tiny voice talking to me.

"Gots to wake up now, mama. It's your and Lexie's day, t'day."

Opening my eyes, I saw LJ grinning broadly at me. Sitting up and looking around, I saw Alexis was perched on the edge of the bed, also smiling at me. Castle watched in the doorway for a minute before turning to leave. I looked back at the girls and LJ immediately crawled closer for a cuddle. Alexis watched us, and was slightly taken aback when I reached out for her.

"Don't be silly, Alexis. I love you, too." I beckoned her closer. "Now come closer so I can give you a hug, too."

Her smile was just as happy as her sister's as she got under the covers next to me. "Happy Mother's Day, Kate."

"Happy Mama's Day." LJ chirped. "Love to you _so_ much!"

Unable to put my love for these two into words, I gave LJ a one-armed hug while I wrapped my other arm around Alexis' waist and touched my forehead to hers. I had the best daughters in the world.

…There is _nothing_ that could _ever_ make me stop loving Alexis and LJ like _I_ am their biological mother…

"Mama," LJ said suddenly. "Just 'membered somethin' for you an' Lexie."

Alexis and I looked at the tiny redhead curiously. "What is it?"

"No leave right now!"

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Who told you that?"

LJ became extremely conflicted as she thought of how to answer her sister, so I came to her rescue by picking her up and putting her into her sister's lap.

"What doin' now, Mama?" LJ was clearly confused.

I put a hand to my belly and LJ's hand flew to it immediately, too. She just loved pregnant bellies. "I have to get up for a minute, Baby Bird, and go—"

"No!" LJ squawked at me. _"No leave!"_

I laughed and moved my hand a little lower as the baby decided to let me know that I had to make it to the bathroom as soon as possible. Taking LJ under the arms, I moved her back toward Alexis who understood what I needed, and held LJ tightly, so she couldn't stop me from getting up.

"I need to go to the bathroom, LJ," I pointed at the bathroom door in the corner. "But I _promise_ to come back here after, all right?"

This seemed to sit well with her because she nodded and settled back in Alexis' arms. Once I made it back from my bathroom break, LJ moved to the end of the bed and fixed her eyes on the door and watched it like a baby hawk. Alexis and I were mystified, but only for a minute or two, because Castle appeared in the doorway bearing an extra long breakfast tray with legs in his hands. The tray was laden with mine and Alexis' favorite breakfast foods. Castle placed the tray in front of us.

"Happy Mother's Day to two of my favorite ladies!" He said cheerfully.

We both thanked him in unison and accepted hugs and kisses before digging into a breakfast of scrambled eggs, French toast, bacon and orange juice. When we were done eating, Castle moved the tray to a table near the door and looked at LJ.

"Do you remember what you have to do now?"

She thought about it for a second before nodding vigorously. "LJ go now?"

"Yes."

LJ squealed in delight, clapping her hands. She slid off the bed and hit the ground running. We stared after her before Alexis turned to her dad. "What's going on, dad?"

Castle's eyes twinkled. "LJ went to go retrieve yours and Kate's presents from their hiding spot."

I looked at Castle with a raised eyebrow. "LJ's been in on this the whole time, hasn't she?" Castle answered me with a nod. "Very impressive."

Alexis' mind was one-track as her voice trembled. "Presents? _I _get presents today, too?"

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned her head on my shoulder. "Of course you do, Sunshine. It's _Mother's Day, _and the last time I checked, being pregnant on this holiday counts."

"I just can't help but remember the night that _this_ happened." she sniffled, pointing to her belly. "I _love _my baby _so_ much, but…" Her voice trailed off as two lone tears fell down her face. I held her a little tighter. After all this time, Alexis still never told us _exactly_ how she got pregnant.

Castle leaned over and kissed his daughter on the top of her head. "It's okay, Pumpkin. Whoever that guy is, he's long gone, and he doesn't deserve you. _Ashley_ does."

The mention of Alexis' boyfriend brought a smile to her face. "He's my guy. I love him very much." She ran a hand over her belly. "He loves me _and_ the baby, and it makes me happy."

I smiled at my young friend. "Then that's all that matters. It's Mother's Day, and it's the day we get to celebrate _all_ mothers, even _if_ their babies are still growing inside."

Alexis held my hand and spoke in a whisper. "Thanks, Kate."

The noise of a set of wheels reached our ears and we all looked to the doorway to see LJ straining to pull the weight of her little Radio Flyer wagon. We saw that there were two wrapped old-fashioned gift boxes in it.

"LJ getted presents from hiding spot!" she grunted as she pulled the wagon into the doorway. Giving up, she dropped the handle and looked at Castle. "Messeded up a little, daddy. Bring presents from here?"

"Yes, you may." He told her.

She smiled happily and proceeded to take the packages out and hold onto them by the ribbons. LJ strained a little under the weight, and shot a withering look at her dad when he got up to help her. I laughed when I realized that the withering look was borrowed from me.

"Nuh-uh!" LJ shook her head at him as she toddled over and handed the packages up to me. "LJ do it! No help!"

Castle helped her onto the bed and then held his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right! Let's watch them, shall we?"

My gift box contained an assortment of things, including a bag of my favorite candy, a set of new navel rings, and interestingly, a thin rectangle wrapped in black paper.

I turned over the package as I examined it. "What's this, Rick?"

"Open it."

Alexis and LJ were both pressed up against me, waiting for me to open it. With my family watching, I tore the paper off and gasped at what was underneath the paper. It turned out to be a sturdy oak picture frame, and there was a candid shot of Alexis, LJ and I in the middle. Sure, I liked a good posed picture, but this shot was just my favorite. It was taken on the first family outing with LJ after her adoption day—a trip to the children's zoo in Central Park. Alexis and I were sitting on a bench at the food court, and smiling at Castle, who was behind the camera. LJ was in my lap, and I had an arm around her waist to keep her from slipping off. She was too busy focusing on her chocolate ice cream cone to pay any attention to the camera. She was clearly enjoying herself because the ice cream was all around her mouth. An inscription in the base of the frame read _Mama, Sunshine & Baby Bird. _Since I didn't grow up with any siblings and I had a family now, it was small moments like this that I cherished.

I put the picture frame on the bedside table and turned to Castle, pulling him close. "I love the picture, Rick. I love all of it."

He leaned over LJ and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and LJ immediately changed the subject before anything else happened. "LJ wan' see Lexie's presents now."

She crawled over to her sister and began to pull on the box ribbons impatiently. Alexis got the message and took the top off. A happy smile appeared on her face as she pulled out two of her favorite books, _James and the Giant Peach _and _The BFG._ The books were followed by a little tin of Ghirardelli chocolates and another tin full of lemonheads, two of Alexis' proven weaknesses. A silver Tiffany's charm bracelet, already decorated with lots of little charms. It took Alexis a minute to pry LJ away from the bracelet before she pulled out one last present, which also turned out to be a picture frame, complete with a picture.

"Lexie," LJ cried in surprise and delight. "It's us!"

In the center of a silver frame was a picture of Alexis and LJ taken on the day the Madison and Emily were here with their families. The picture had been taken in Alexis' closet with her phone camera, and this photo was just too cute for words. LJ was sitting on her sister's hip and had an arm resting on Alexis' shoulder while giving Alexis a kiss on the cheek. Alexis clearly hadn't been expecting it because she was laughing happily.

Castle and I watched as the two sisters had an extra cuddle. I wondered yet again what exactly the driving force behind their beautiful bond was.

LJ's voice disturbed my thoughts. "What's that, daddy?"

Looking around, I saw that Castle was emerging from the closet with two packages in his arms. Castle sat down on the edge of the bed and handed one to me and one to Alexis. Checking the box out, I saw the word _Bellybuds._

"'Bellybuds'?" Alexis echoed, turning to Castle. "What's that?"

"Something I heard about through the grapevine." He answered honestly. "They're these speakers that are designed for pregnant bellies. You can hook them up to your iPods and then attach the speakers to your belly, allowing—"

"Allowing the baby to hear the music." I finished with an understanding nod.

"I read somewhere," Alexis tacked on. "That if a baby hears music while it's still in the uterus, the music helps their brain develop."

I smiled. "What a thought gift, Rick. Thank you."

Leaning over LJ again, I kissed Castle again, but on the lips this time. This promptly grossed LJ out and she turned to Alexis.

"Ew, Lexie!" she giggled. "Mama's kissin' daddy!"

Alexis just shook her head and laughed. Gathering her presents up, Alexis talked LJ into going to her bedroom with her to see how the Bellybuds worked. When we were alone, Castle moved all my presents aside and sat next to me on the bed, holding me in his arms. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was barely ten o'clock.

"My first Mother's Day, it's only ten o'clock, and I'm already exhausted!"

"Try not to get _too_ tired, Kate." He chuckled. "I have a few more surprises in store for us and the kids today."

"Oh?"

He nodded wisely. "First of all, Ashley called me yesterday and asked if he could take Alexis out and treat her to lunch and spend the day with her. He wants to surprise her. I said yes, of course. He even told me not to worry about money because he has everything taken care of."

"What a great guy…" I shifted slightly as the baby changed positions. "What are the other surprises?"

"Jenny and Ryan called right before Ashley did, and they asked to spend a few hours with LJ today."

"Really?" I asked. "That was nice of them."

Castle smiled, nodding again. "They'll be here in about an hour, and I still need to tell LJ."

"That kid is going to be beside herself with joy."

"No kidding!" He held my hand and our fingers intertwined. "We're going to meet up with them later."

"Where?"

"Can't tell you that one. But there is one thing that Ryan mentioned…"

"Which was?"

"He said he left a letter with you and gave you instructions not to open it until today."

I nodded and reached over to retrieve an envelope off the bedside table. "Here it is." I showed him. "It's been there for two days, and bothering the hell out of me because I've been wondering what in the world he could've possibly given me that he wanted me to read at home."

Castle pressed a kissed to my forehead and got off the bed. "Why don't you find out while I go tell LJ that she gets to hang out with two of her favorite people?"

I opened the envelope and saw that there was a folded up letter inside. "Sounds good."

"Kate?"

I looked up in response to my name and saw him giving me a loving smile, which I couldn't help but return. "Yes?"

"Happy Mother's Day."

"Thank you."

As he left the room, I returned my attention to the letter from Ryan.

"_Dear Beckett," _it read.

"_This is probably a little weird, to be getting a letter from your detective, but we're all very close at the Twelfth, and we're like a family, so I hope that you can just read this letter and we can still be colleagues and friends._

_Thomas and I grew up without a mother. According to my dad, she didn't want to be a mom, and she ran off with someone else when Thomas was still a baby. Thomas was born when I was three, so I don't remember anything about her. Thomas and I didn't find out until dad was on his deathbed what out mother's name is/was: Leila Celine Ryan. We don't know what happened to her, or if she's still alive. Thomas doesn't want to know at all, but I do. _

_I know that you know that Esposito and I see you as a mother figure, especially since we're as close as brothers. He has reasons, and now you know mine. The spot in my heart where my mom should be has been filled by you. Thanks for being there, even if you didn't know that you were making a difference. _

_Happy Mother's Day!_

_Sincerely,_

_Kevin Francis Xavier Ryan_

**AN:** Did y'all like the chapter? Was the wait worth it? Mother's Day, Part Two is underway!

**P.S.: **Since we found out in _Knockdown_ that Ryan went to Catholic school for twelve years, I'm assuming that he was part of the Catholic church, meaning that he was baptized somewhere along the way. I'm not Catholic, but I know that one of the things that happens at the baptisms (?) is that the person being baptized gets a confirmation name, so after doing lots of research, I chose the name Francis Xavier for the character of Kevin Ryan. If I got anything wrong, I am sorry. It wasn't intended.


	16. Mother's Day, Part Two

**DISCLAIMER: **Not mine.

**CHAPTER 16: MOTHER'S DAY, PART TWO**

_Castle's Point of View_

Leaving Kate to read her letter, I headed across the hallway and stopped in the doorway of Alexis' room, and my heart melted at the sight. Alexis and LJ were both leaning against the headboard of Alexis' bed. The Bellybuds were attached to Alexis' exposed belly, and the girls' hands were moving around methodically, tracking the baby's movements. Both LJ and Alexis were speechless—a particularly amazing feat for my youngest daughter—but they both sensed my presence and looked over at the same time.

"What are you two doing?"

"My Squishy is turnin' to the music!" LJ informed me in a very excited tone. "He's listenin' to the movie music, an' he _really_ likes it!" She was referring to a compilation of amazing movie trailer music that Alexis had stumbled across once while on iTunes. "Please to come feel it!"

I approached the bed and looked at Alexis for permission and she nodded. Reaching for my hand, she took it and placed it on the spot where her hand had been resting previously. Once the baby realized that my hand was nearby, it began turning close to Alexis' skin, so we could feel everything. I laughed when I felt an elbow roll under my palm.

Standing up, I lifted LJ off the bed. She started to protest, but I spoke over her. "Hey, princess, you've gotta chill out for a minute."

"Why?" she pouted.

"Remember how I told you there was a surprise for you, too?" She nodded, but was still pouting. "Well, the surprise is that _you_ get to hang out with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Jenny all day."

LJ's bad attitude evaporated instantaneously and her body shook with excitement, like it always does whenever she gets really excited. She slid out of my arms like a bar of soap and ran next door to her bedroom, talking about what she was going to wear.

I looked at Alexis and put my best poker face on, so as not to give _her_ surprise away. "You should get dressed."

My oldest daughter shrugged. "I was going to, anyway. I'm not the kind of person who likes to lounge around in their pajamas all day." So much for my poker face… "Help me up, please?"

I obliged Alexis and helped her to her feet, making sure she didn't tip over because of the weight of her belly. She shooed me out, and I closed the door behind her and entered LJ's room to find her sitting on her bed, deep in thought. Olivia and Lieutenant Cuddles were next to her.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her.

"LJ don't know what to wear." She confessed in a voice of three-year-old seriousness.

I laughed and shook my head. LJ had clearly inherited her love for fashion from Mother. "Let me help you with that one, LJ."

"Okay, daddy."

Ten minutes later, I had dressed LJ in a beautiful little sundress, bright plum in color. LJ's treasured jelly shoes were on her feet, and she was trying her hardest to be still while I put her hair into pigtail braids. The only part where she cooperated with me completely was when she asked me if I could tie in her favorite hair scarf in, even though she already had her hair in braids. (LJ's reasoning was that it matched her dress and that it was decorated with long neck dinosaurs) I was done with that, she gave an exasperated huff of "Finally!" and grabbed her stuffed animals off her bed and bolted out of the room toward the stairs.

_Jenny's Point of View_

After Mike, the doorman for Castle's building waved Kevin and I in, we made our way across the lobby to the elevator. I held a hand to my belly, enjoying the fact the baby's moves were a lot less noticeable when she could feel me in motion.

_She…_I liked the sound of that a lot, especially since I have four older brothers, and no sisters.

A smile crept across my face as we boarded the elevator, and Kevin noticed.

"What are you thinking about, Jenny?"

"Just the fact that I'm thrilled to pieces that we learned from Emily that our first baby is going to be a girl."

He smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yes, that is a reason. But God _help_ us if she's your spitting image."

"Why?"

"Because then I'll have to be one of those dads who sits on the porch with a shotgun."

I shook my head and laughed at him. "No, baby, I don't think so. That will be Javier. Rick? _Maybe._ Javier? Most definitely. Any child of his and Lanie's will be gorgeous, _especially_ the girls."

"Hey!" he protested. "Why won't _I_ be that dad?"

"Oh, Kevin…." I sighed, trying not to laugh at him. "It's because Javier takes the prize for being the most intimidating one between the three of you, with Rick being a close second."

Kevin pretended to be hurt. "What about me?"

"You can be intimidating when you want to be, but more often than not, you're just too cute and dorky to be a real threat."

I laughed again at his expression: he was very flustered because he couldn't think of an amazing come back. The sound of feet hurrying across the tiled floor of the lobby cut his off his response. Turning, we saw Ashley coming toward us, and Kevin quickly held the elevator doors back for him.

"Thanks, guys." He turned to me as the doors slid shut. "And happy Mother's Day to you, Jenny."

"Thank you." I responded, pressing the button for Kate and Castle's floor. "Going up to be with Alexis?"

"Yes, actually." He responded proudly. "I'm coming to surprise her with a day out on the town. What are you two up to?"

Kevin would've answered that question, but he was still pondering the "cute and dorky" comment from earlier, so I answered Ashley instead. "We asked if we could take LJ for a few hours because we wanted to spend time with her, and then we're all going to go out to my parents' place in Flushing for a barbeque."

"That sounds like fun."

The elevator reached its stop and the doors slid open. We disembarked and walked towards Castle's loft. "It will be." I eyed the bouquet of flowers in his hands. "Good thing you brought Alexis that bouquet."

"Why?" he asked nervously.

"Because LJ won't kick your butt for not showing up on Mother's Day without flowers for Alexis. That kid may be only three, but she's _very_ protective of Alexis. She'd think it rude if you turned up _here, today_ without anything for her sister."

The teenager just nodded, also pondering my words. I grinned, feeling oddly proud that I had successfully stunned both of them into silence. Still grinning, I rang the doorbell.

_Ashley's Point of View_

I came to my senses as Jenny rang the doorbell and the door opened about five seconds later, to reveal Rick stepping aside to let us in. Just as Kevin, Jenny and I were greeting him and Kate; LJ came barreling into view with her pig and dinosaur in her arms. She squealed in delight and jumped up and down when she saw her godparents. When she saw me, however, she halted in her tracks, her little mind clearly blown that I had shown up, too.

"Why here, Ashy?" She held her arms out to me and I picked her up. "Here to tell Lexie that it's Mama's Day?"

"Yes, I am."

The little girl nodded and then spotted the bouquet of flowers and looked back at me through narrow eyes. "Flowers for Lexie?"

I tried not to laugh at how cute her scrutinizing gaze was. I _did_ ignore the 'I told you so' comment from Jenny, and answered the child in my arms. "Yes, LJ, they flowers _are_ for Alexis."

LJ's expression immediately brightened. "Good!" she chirped in approval. "Please to come wif you to surprise Lexie an' give her the flowers?"

"Of course you may." I told her. "And you know what?"

Her eyes widened in anticipation. "What, Ashy?"

I held the flowers out to her. "You can hold the flowers!"

She gasped excitedly and immediately passed her toys to Kate to hold, and took the flowers in her arms, treating them very delicately, as if they were made out of glass. By the time we got to Alexis' bedroom door, LJ was covering her eyes with the crook of her arm, explaining that she was going to surprise Alexis. I smiled in amusement and gave her a quick hug, thinking back to something that happened a few years ago. LJ got upset and squawked at me to stop so I didn't smash the flowers, and to just knock on Alexis' door already.

_Alexis' Point of View_

I smiled to myself as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Even though I didn't have any real plans for today, except trying to locate Ashley and Melissa, I felt like dressing up, anyway. Since I was a little heavier than normal due to my excess weight gain, I felt more comfortable—physically and emotionally—about my appearance when I was wearing a dress. Today's dress was a bright plum-colored chiffon number with a square neck. When the sash in back was tied, the shape of my belly was clearly defined. The necklace from Ashley was around my neck and my new bracelet from dad was clasped around my arm. A crystal dragon fly hair accessory was clipped into the corner of my hair to keep any stray hair from falling into my face. I wasn't even wearing makeup, but I felt very, beautiful and confident about the way I looked.

My thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on my closed door. Curious about whom it could be, I crossed my room and opened the door.

I was certainly not expecting Ashley with LJ in his arms. Ashley just smiled at me and then whispered something into LJ's ear. My little sister had her arm around her eyes and a bouquet of Gerber daisies in her arms and promptly removed her arm.

"Surprise, Lexie!" she cried. "Lo—we match!" Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that our dresses were the same color. It was not at all intentional. "Both pretty today."

I smiled as Ashley spoke to her. "But LJ, you're _both_ really pretty."

LJ blushed furiously at his words and fell silent, allowing me to speak. "Ashley," I stepped aside and let him in. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Mother's Day, silly." He laughed. "I'm here to take you out for the day."

My heart melted at his words and all I could do in response was stand on my tiptoes to kiss Ashley on the lips. A shrill sound of disgust sounded from LJ, who was sandwiched in between us.

"Ev'body kissin' t'day!" She pushed me away so she could have so room to move. "Firs' mama an' daddy, an' then my Lexie an' my Ashy!" A voice came from the foot of the stairs, calling LJ. She pulled the flowers from her arms and gave them to me. "These Ashy's flowers to you, for sayin' Happy Mama's Day. LJ gots to go hang out with Aunt Jenny an' Uncle Ryan now."

She slid out of Ashley's arms and ran to the stairs, responding that she was going as fast as she could.

_Jenny's Point of View_

Curious about what was taking LJ so long, Kevin and I went to the stairs, and I called up to LJ. "Hello, up there! What's taking so long, LJ?"

There was a brief silence and then the sound of little feet hitting the ground at a full run, followed by: "Goin' as fast as lion, Aunt Jenny!" LJ came down the stairs as fast as she could, but slowing down at Kate's warning. Since I was holding Olivia the pig and Lieutenant Cuddles the dinosaur in my arms, LJ launched herself at Ryan and he caught her. LJ looked at both of us.

"Guess what?"

"What?" we asked in unison.

"Lexie an' Ashy were _kissin'!_ Ew!" She wrinkled her nose and shuddered comically. "You two not kiss when LJ see?" Her voice was desperate. "Please?"

"We promise, LJ," I told her, nudging Kevin so he began nodding as soon as his goddaughter looked at him for assurance. "And Uncle Ryan and I _never_ go back on our promises," I looked over at my husband and raised an eyebrow at him. "Do we?"

LJ turned to him for reassurance. "She's right, LJ. Aunt Jenny and I never go back on our promises, ever," He told her. "So that means that you can talk to us about _anything _you want, all right?"

LJ raised an eyebrow this time, and it mirrored the fashion in which Kate raised hers. "Even when LJ all big?"

I stepped closer to her, well aware that Kate and Rick were watching this whole scene silently from where they stood. "Yes, LJ. Even when you're all big."

She nodded in approval and held out her bunched fingers. "Bird feed seals promise. That's what mama and daddy say."

Kevin and I happily obliged our goddaughter, thus earning extra big hugs from her. That's when LJ remembered that we weren't the only people in the room and asked for her stuffed animals because she wanted to know if she could take them to wherever it was that we were going.

Despite the fact that her voice was recovering itself from being lost yesterday, she babbled happily when her parents informed her that Ryan and I were going to go play with her at the children's museum downtown.

A few hours later, LJ and I found ourselves sitting on a bench outside the entrance of the children's museum while Kevin went to get the car. Our time there had been lots of fun, and LJ was so happy that she didn't even put up a fuss with me when I told her it was time to go.

(I confessed to Kevin at one point during the day that after hanging out with LJ for a few hours, I wondered what _our_ daughter was going to be like when she got to this age)

Ever the cuddler, LJ was on my lap, leaning against my big belly. She had an arm slung over it, but I wasn't sure if she was being protective or possessive, because she does the same thing with Kate's, Alexis', Lanie's and Madison's bellies, too.

I noticed that she was getting a little fidgety as the baby moved against her, upset at having her personal space invaded. I intervened before they had another poking war. It's happened before.

"LJ?"

"Yes, Aunt Jenny?"

"When Uncle Ryan comes back with the car, we're going to go hang out at my mama and papa's house, and guess what?"

There was genuine look of curiosity on her face. "What?"

"I heard that your little friends, Ezekiel and Moses will be there."

Her eyes lit up for a brief second before becoming concerned.

"What is it, Little One?"

She looked up at me with a serious expression. "Happy to see my Zeke and Momo again, but please to bring your mama flowers?"

I smiled and gave her a hug, eliciting a happy squeal from her. "Of course we can. My mama _loves_ flowers, and she has a huge garden in her backyard."

LJ's eyes grew wide at this information, and she played with my fingers absently. "Zeke and Mo broughteded flowers for LJ before. They did it 'cause it's p'ite."

"I think you mean _polite._" I corrected her.

She nodded. "Wan' Aunt Jenny's mama and papa to love LJ…"

My heart turned over at her words, because sometimes Kevin displayed the same quest for approval that LJ was displaying now. "Don't worry. They _will_ love you."

She looked up at me with her piercing blue eyes. "Promise?"

"I do."

The little girl smiled a happy smile, feeding the birds with me. She started chattering excitedly when Kevin pulled up to the curb with the car right at that moment. LJ hopped off my lap and waited impatiently for me to get to my feet. "Come _on_, Aunt Jenny!" she cried. "Gots to find the _bestest_ flowers for your mama, 'cause it's Mama's Day, and mamas have to have the best of everything, _'specially_ t'day!" I was standing up now, but watching my goddaughter in amusement as she took in a deep breath, so as not to pass out from lack of oxygen before continuing. "LJ's favorites are lilies, an' wi'dflowers, too. Which one we pick for her?"

She continued babbling to herself all the way to the florist shop.

**AN: **Part three is underway! Gold stars to anyone who didn't suffocate from all that fluff!

**P.S.: **This is the part where I say that I don't own iTunes because Apple does.


	17. Mother's Day, Part Three

**DISCLAIMER: **Star light, star bright; The first star I see tonight—*record scratch* Nope. Still not mine. *huge sigh* I must leave to be the writer monkey again… *walks away*

**CHAPTER 17: MOTHER'S DAY, PART THREE**

_Jenny's Point of View_

When we pulled up to my childhood home in Flushing, I noticed that we were the first ones to arrive because my four older brothers—Liam, Kieran, Declan and Riordan—and their wives and kids hadn't arrived yet, but as soon as we pulled up, two more cars were right behind us. My brother-in-law and my sister-in-law, Thomas and Emily, emerged from the first car and LJ smiled a little bit, but still looked like a nervous wreck. (According to Kate and Castle, LJ is fine, but she still gets really nervous when she's about to meet a new person) Emily's sisters, Madison and Melissa, and Madison's husband, Nicolas emerged from the second car. LJ's two best friends, Ezekiel and Moses, came out of the car behind Melissa. When the three of them noticed each other, they forgot the world for awhile as they greeted each other. Moses noticed that all three of them had flower bouquets for my mom, and that they were all the same kind of flower: wildflowers. They immediately surrendered their stuffed animals to us and forgot the world as they fell into discussion about flowers. As we followed the three of them into the house, their conversation became so intertwined that it was hard to tell who was speaking English and who was speaking Spanglish.

"Mama?" I called out as we all entered the front hall and put our things away. I still used childhood nicknames for my parents, and I didn't care who heard me because no matter how many ways I looked at it, everybody in my present company was related to me. "Mama? Papa? Where are you?"

Everybody followed Kevin and me down the front hallway to the kitchen, and we found mom in there, bustling about as she fussed over things on the stove. Dad was out on the back deck, grilling meat on the grill. Mom's face lit up when she saw us. Since my family is Catholic Irish, like Kevin and Thomas', and both of my parents grew up in an orphanage together, family is _everything_ to both of them. So that's why, after Kevin, Thomas and Nicolas greeted my mother and then went out to the deck with dad, that mom greeted Madison, Emily, Melissa and I with hugs and nagging at Madison and I to sit down—"You're both five months pregnant! You needn't be on your feet, especially since there will be plenty of people here later t' wait on you hand and foot!"—before she bent down to the same level as the kids. All three of them of them stood shoulder-to-shoulder, trying to figure my mom out. I'm her spitting image, except I'm the younger version, the twenty-eight year younger version, minus the Irish accent.

Madison, Emily, Melissa and I watched as Ezekiel and Moses shoved LJ forward her, like she was bait and my mom was a shark.

"Is you Aunty Jenny's mama?" LJ asked timidly.

Mom nodded. "I am, and you must be Lily Joy, but I know you like being called LJ better, don't you?" Nod. "You can call me 'Mama Megan,' if you want."

"Okay." LJ ran her hand over the side of mom's face and smiled. "Mama Megan?"

"Yes, LJ?"

"You're _really_ pretty, so Aunty Jenny gon' look _jus'_ like you when she older."

If I had been closer to LJ, I would've hugged her. Mom did, instead.

"You're precious." She told the little girl. "Your mama and papa are lucky to have you."

LJ just nodded, probably not understanding mom's words entirely. That's when she remembered the flowers in her hands and presented them to her. The twins remembered about their flowers at the exact same time and raced over. All three of the little kids started talking over each other, all three of them in Spanglish. Mom shushed them all, and they fell silent at once, as if falling under a spell. After taking the flower bouquets and giving them each hugs and kisses, she got them to follow her in a line like little ducklings as she went to the kitchen to find vases. Once the kids insisted on her putting the vases on the kitchen table for everybody to see, mom asked if they wanted to see her flower garden, and they all agreed and followed her outside, still behaving like little ducklings.

We stared after them for a minute before Melissa turned to me with a chuckle. "Well, chica, it's official: your mom is pretty amazing."

"You have no idea…"

_Lanie's Point of View_

Every mother's day since Javier and I gave up Jessica Rose, we always pay a visit to the cemetery where Jenner is buried and we leave a bouquet of sunflowers on headstone. After we do that, we always make a stop at the bronze statue of ten children holding hands. This statue was made years and years ago, as a tribute to the lost or dead children of New York City. People like to leave stuffed animals there, in memory of the people they have lost. This year, in addition to the teddy bears we always leave for Jenner and Jessica Rose, we left three more, one for each of Kate's sisters—Charlotte, Natalie and Evangeline. On our way out of the cemetery, we always have to pass by Jenner's headstone to get back to the parking lot. Usually, we don't stop, but we did this year because Javier accidentally dropped his keys on the ground. A look of surprise was on his face, so I followed his gaze and saw why.

The headstone before us read: _Johanna Lily Beckett, 1955-1999._ Nearby headstones bore the names _Natalie Faith Beckett, Charlotte Grace Beckett _and_ Evangeline Dove Beckett. _Their birthdates and death dates were underneath their names.

I turned to Javier. "Do you realize where we are?"

He nodded. "We're at the grave markers of Beckett's mom and _sisters?" _The latter part of his statement ended in a confused question. "Beckett had sisters?"

"She did," I confirmed, realizing that he didn't know. "But keep it under wraps, all right? Alexis and I were the only ones who knew. She just told Castle a little while ago, and now you're the only other one who knows."

"I _promise_ I won't say anything."

I gave his hand a squeeze of appreciation. My hand moved to my swollen belly as the baby thought it would be fun to turn somersaults. The baby stilled immediately at the feeling of my hand. I could already tell that this baby was going to be very sweet and gentle if it calmed down just from the feeling of my hand.

Looking over at the headstones, I got an idea. After assuring Javier that I'd be just fine while he waited for be to go, I made my way over to Natalie's headstone and placed a hand on it for a brief moment, before repeating the same thing with Charlotte's and Evangeline's. When I got to Johanna's grave, I touched her headstone but made my way to the end of her grave and spoke as tears fell freely down my face.

My voice was reduced to a whisper. "Hello, Johanna. My name is Delaney Susan Parish, and I just want to thank you for giving me your daughter, Kate. She is one of my saving graces, and I would be so lost without her. Kate is closer than a friend—she _is_ my sister. Thank you for her." I cast a glance at the neighboring headstone and saw that it was Jenner's. Wiping my tears was useless because they just kept coming. "Speaking of sisters, my little sister, Jenner, is next to you. Will you keep an eye on her for me?" I thought of Jessica Rose. "And if _my_ girl, Jessica Rose, is up there—which I pray she isn't—will you keep an eye on her, please? Thanks."

I moved on to Jenner's headstone and touched it before moving around to talk to her, too. "Hey, baby sister, it's Lanie. I just wanted to remind you that Mama Joey will be keeping an eye on you to make sure that you stay out of trouble." I smiled faintly as I remembered when Jenner and I had a food fight when mom was out. It was so much fun, even though we got in lots of trouble afterward. "There's one more thing I have to tell you this time: Mama Joey is going to look after you, but _you_ have to look out for _her_ daughters. Their names are Natalie, Charlotte and Evangeline, and you have to take extra care because they're only babies." I put my hands in the small of my back to support the extra weight my belly gave me. "I have to go now. Be good, Jenjen."

When I was back in the car and we were leaving in the parking lot, Javier looked at me. "Are you all right, Lanie?"

"Yes, Javi, I'm fine." I answered.

"What were you doing?"

I bit my lip, wanting to keep those conversations quiet for awhile. "I was… having some time with Jenner and the Beckett women."

He understood that I didn't want to talk about it, so he just nodded and changed the subject. "Are you ready to go out the barbeque now?"

I nodded and laughed as the baby delivered a swift kick to the upper side of my belly. "I am _very_ ready, and someone else is, too."

After being at the O'Malley house in Flushing for a few hours, enjoying good home cooked food, lots of music and being around family—because that's what we all were to each other—I was sitting on the couch with Jenny, Kate, Alexis and Madison while Jenny's mom and four sisters-in-law cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes. None of them let us lift a finger because of our pregnancies, but Jenny's mom ordered Melissa to help with the effort, lest she find some blackmail material. Melissa obeyed after that, grumbling that Megan would forever have that threat over her because there was no way that Madison or Emily could ever turn down an opportunity to blackmail or help blackmail their baby sister. Emily actually volunteered to help clean, so she just snickered at Melissa's misfortune.

Jenny's dad, Desmond, was out in the backyard with Javier, Ryan, Castle, Thomas and Nicolas. Jenny's four older brothers were out there, as well, as were Ezekiel and Moses. LJ would've been out there, too, but she had taken a tumble and scraped both of her knees, so she was out for the count. For some weird reason, LJ didn't want Kate to hold her, so she chose me, instead.

I was leaning against the couch and LJ was leaning against my belly, shifting uncomfortably as the baby kicked her continuously. "What are you thinking about, LJ?"

"LJ thinks the Pixie needs to be still."

The others stopped their conversations at the mention of the baby's nickname.

"What did you say?" I asked. "Did you give the baby a nickname?"

LJ bobbed her head up and down, running her hand over my belly. She was trying to calm the baby down. "This is baby Pixie. She LJ's Pixie." She put both of her hands on my belly and leaned forward to speak to it. "Gots to stop kickin', Pixie. LJ like you _lots,_ but gots to _stop_ kickin'. Hurts me _an'_ your mama. Please to be gentle." LJ placed a gentle kiss on my belly and gave it a gentle pat. "Don't worry, my Pixie: LJ gon' love an' protec' you. You be LJ's baby, too."

The baby was blessedly still after that.

_Madison's Point of View_

Just as Kate, Alexis, Jenny and I watched LJ converse with Lanie and her baby, I watched in further amazement as LJ crawled into my lap since I was sitting next to Lanie on the couch. The little girl winced in pain as she bumped her skinned knees, so I had mercy on her and pulled her into my lap. She didn't say anything to me and leaned against my pregnant belly this time.

My baby seemed to be friendlier than Lanie's because as soon as it felt LJ's bodyweight, it started turning in a graceful manner, so it felt pleasant. We all watched LJ, and my heart melted when a genuinely happy smile appeared on her face, but…my blood ran cold at the name she spoke.

"Lucy."

My eyes filled up with tears at the sound of my late mother's name. I looked over Melissa, and she was already on her feet. Feeling another presence, I directed my gaze towards the entrance to her room and saw that Emily was coming back from her bathroom break.

"Did LJ just use the name Lucy?"

I nodded. "She did, Em."

Emily promptly turned on her heel and left the room with Melissa right behind her.

Out of the three of us, they both had a lot to lose when our parents were accidentally mentioned; all though Emily and I had agreed that Melissa has the most to lose for so many reasons.

LJ's pleading voice brought me back to reality. "LJ sorry Maddie! _So_ sorry!"

I looked down at her and tried to smile. "It's okay, LJ. It's okay." I moved her into

Kate's lap. "It was an accident."

"Okay." LJ sniffled. "You go be wif Emmy an' Missy now?"

"Yes."

She nodded and watched me go. I found Emily and Melissa in the front room, holding each other. They were both sobbing and Melissa was shaking in Emily's arms. Well aware that I was probably going to need help getting back up, I eased myself down to the floor and pressed myself close to Emily to look down at Melissa. She was curled up on Emily's lap. I made soothing noises and pushed her stray hair out of her eyes.

"Sh, mija." I soothed. "It's okay. We were all blindsided by her words."

"I-I know, Maddie, but the difference between you and Em and me is that _I_ was _there! _They _died_ in front of me! I can _never_ forget that! Never! _Nunca!_ God had mercy on you two by letting you identify the bodies." Melissa shuddered in Emily's arms. "I just can't help but think back to that day and wonder what would've happened if I hadn't insisted on going to the park. Mum and dad would still be alive, I wouldn't look like a scratching post, and _we would all be okay."_

Emily pressed a kiss to the top of our sister's head. "It wasn't your fault, Melissa. You need to stop beating yourself up."

"Easier said than done…"

A new voice joined the conversation. "Scuze me!"

Turning, we saw LJ standing a few feet away from us. I motioned for her to come over to us and toddled over quickly. She stopped to check on Melissa before plopping down in my lap and looking up at me.

"Why cryin' 'bout Lucy?"

"Lucy was our mama's name." I gestured between my sisters and me as I spoke.

LJ looked between Melissa, Emily and I, eyes wide as something slowly dawned her.

"_Sissers?_ Sissers like me an' Lexie?"

Melissa had calmed down somewhat and was now talking to her favorite three-year-old. "Si, LJ. Maddie, Emmy and I are sisters."

LJ nodded and her voice took on a serious tone. "My Lexie say that…" She scrunched her nose up in an effort to remember the rest of Alexis' grain of wisdom. Her face brightened when she remembered. "My Lexie say that bond 'tween sissers _very_ strong love."

My sisters and I exchanged glances with each other, surprised to hear those kinds of words coming from someone so small.

...But I know _I_ couldn't deny the truth beneath the words…

I paid attention to LJ when I felt her tapping my face. I held her little hand in mine.

"Yes, LJ?"

"Who your Lucy?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "My Lucy was my mama."

"_Where_ your Lucy?"

"With the angels, baby girl."

"Mama Lucy with Mama Joey?"

I blinked back tears, realizing that she was talking about Kate's mom. "Yes."

She shifted her attention to my belly and started talking to the baby, who started moving in response to her voice.

"Hi, Lucy!" she cooed. "Hi! You gon' be _my_ baby, jus' like Nemo, Squishy an' Pixie! LJ gon' love an' protec' _all_ you, no matter what."

My heart turned to putty at her words, and I smiled as sunny smile at her when she looked back up at me.

"Aunty Maddie?"

"Yes?"

"LJ promised take care Lucy, so gotta bird feed. Seals deal."

We fed the birds.

_Kate's Point of View_

Just after Madison had followed her sisters into another room when LJ mentioned the name Lucy, a very sudden silence descended on the room. (Lucy had been Mrs Queller's first name) Everybody in the room, Megan and her daughters-in-law included, had seen it. The guys chose to come in from the backyard, and they were all a little creeped out by the silence. In the middle of my explanation, LJ got off my lap and walked out of the room, and there was a sudden sense of determination and duty to her stride. Castle and followed her at a discreet distance and witnessed a very beautiful scene between LJ and the Queller sisters. We watched as Madison, Emily and Melissa went from tears to smiles and LJ talked to them and showered lots of love and affection on Madison's pregnant belly.

None of them saw us watching, so I pulled Castle out of their sight and earshot. "How did we get blessed with daughter as amazing as her? She's touching the lives of our friends, right before our eyes."

Castle pulled me close to him in a hug. "I've spent a _long_ time trying to figure that one out, no matter what I think of, nothing makes sense, but I sometimes wonder if we have a little angel in our midst."

His words sounded slightly plausible to me, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that, so I changed the subject. "I wonder what Alexis and Ashley are up to right now?"

_(Across town in Astoria, Queens, at the Kerrigan House)_

_Alexis' Point of View_

After a day out on the town with Ashley that included lunch at my favorite restaurant, a walk in the park, among other things. Melissa even joined us for dinner at a little restaurant that the three of us liked to frequent, and she added to the Mother's Day presents that Alexis had already given me. Our friend went home after dinner, saying that she had plans with her family, and that left Ashley and I by ourselves.

I was tired, but not in the mood to go home because I wanted to be with Ashley and his neighborhood was closer to where we were. He agreed that we could go back to his house and hang out there. By the time Ashley was helping me up the front porch, I was very tired, but happily accepted more Mother's Day presents from Molly and Seamus when we entered the house.

Up in Ashley's room, the first thing I did before I could let myself relax was make a quick call to my parents. After that, I watched as Ashley put all my presents aside before finally letting myself lay down on the bed.

"This feels good." I sighed contently as Ashley took my shoes off for me and joined me on the bed, propping himself up with his elbow. "Thanks for a really great day."

"You're welcome, my love." He leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Is there anything else you want? I am at your disposal _all_ day, and the day isn't over yet. We could…"

Ashley's voice trailed off and I propped myself up on my side, and looked at him slyly. "Finish that sentence, Ash. I _dare_ you."

"I was going to say that we could make love if you wanted to."

My heart immediately turned into butter at the kindness of his suggestion. In everything that came with the job of stepping up to the plate to take care of the baby, and as my boyfriend, Ashley has done everything he possibly could, including catering to my needs… _all_ of them.

"You are _so_ sweet," I told him. "But I don't think that would be a good idea since your parents are home, but maybe tomorrow, when I'm not so sleepy."

"I can live with that."

I sat up and proceeded to remove my clothes and jewelry until I was down to undergarments. "But there _is_ one thing…"

A slightly stunned look was on Ashley's face, and I thought it was adorable as he tried to remember how to breathe _and_ talk. "What would that be?"

I spoke in a purr. "Give me a massage? You're _so_ good at it." I wiggled my toes. "Feet, too? They hurt like hell."

Ashley nodded and almost tripped over himself to get things ready.

One hour later, after a very nice massage given to me by Ashley, I was dressed in one of his huge shirts and a pair of his clean boxers. Ashley was down to just his boxers, and was spooning with me. I could hardly keep my eyes open because of how tired and content I felt.

The baby was moving about, as Ashley and I tracked the baby's movements with our hands. Our quiet time was ruined when I cried out suddenly, feeling a swift kick from my belly. "Jesus, that hurt!" I pulled away from Ashley's arms and massaged the spot, and spoke to the baby. "Hey, in there, Squishy! Please be still for mama!"

Of course Squishy ignored me and began to do lots of twists, turns, and even tried to attempt the splits. I shifted uncomfortably and just rested my hands where the baby was moving, sighing in frustration. Ashley rubbed my arm sympathetically.

"She won't stop moving?"

I arched an eyebrow at the gender specification. "Ashley!" I scolded, sitting up. "How many times do I have to tell you it's a _boy?"_

"But—" he tried to protest.

"Nuh-uh!" I spoke in an LJ-style and tapped my belly with my finger, receiving yet another kick. "Never mess with a mother's intuition! Our baby is a _boy!"_

He smirked at me. "All right, if you say so, babe."

I was taken aback by how quickly he changed his mind and let him know. "What prompted _that_ response?"

"You said 'our' baby." He told me.

I smiled shyly. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it is, Lex." He traced a finger over my necklace absently. "I promised to be there for you and the baby, and I promised to wait for you. I've loved the baby like it was mine everyday since then."

I remembered back to the day I told him about my pregnancy. "Yes, you did."

"So I'm going to stand by my words," he picked my hand up in his and kissed it. "And love _our_ baby, no matter what." I just smiled, unable to put my thoughts into words. "But you know what? I think Simone is a lovely name."

I laughed and punched him in the arm lightly. "Ashley Noah, you are _impossible!"_ I shook my head and sighed. "No, Simone is a really beautiful name, but our baby girls will be called Natalie, Charlotte, and Evangeline."

"Okay," He nodded in agreement. "Any particular reason why?"

I wiped my eyes as tears filled them. "Those were the names of Kate's sisters."

The baby chose that moment to kick me again, and I whimpered because the kick was a little brutal. I fell back against the pillows and turned towards Ashley, pulling my shirt back to expose my belly.

"Talk some sense into our boy, please?" I begged. "Tell him that mama had a great day, but is desperate for some sleep."

Ashley nodded and then leaned over to my belly, kissing it tenderly. "Hey, in there… Squishy, or Simone, or…whatever your name is now. This is your daddy speaking to you: mama has had a _great _day today, but she's exhausted and wants to sleep right now." The baby kicked again, but it wasn't as hard this time. "I promise that we'll have fun again tomorrow, but _really:_ she wants to sleep, and I want to hold both of you while that happens." There was a slightly subtle turn this time, like the baby was actually listening to him. "Sleep now, baby. _Please."_ The baby was just turning over a little bit now. "That's a good girl."

I laughed softly. "You're really not going to go of that, are you?"

Ashley shook his head, and I wondered why he was so bent on this baby being a girl.

"But you know what, Lex? I'll make you a deal."

"Name the stakes." I yawned sleepily. "You know it's in my blood to be unable to turn down a deal or a bet."

"If the baby is a girl, I'll name her Natalie Joy, and if the baby is a boy, _you_ can name _him_ anything you want."

I agreed. "Deal." We fed the birds to seal the deal.

We enjoyed a few still quiet moments before the baby decided to be silly and kick me the hardest yet. "Oh, for the love of God!" I cried, pulling back the blankets, as well as my shirt. I looked at the spot where the baby was moving. "Please, Squishy! Why won't—Oh! Oh, my God!" I looked at my boyfriend excitedly. "Ashley, go get your camera!"

Ashley glanced at my belly briefly and I saw a broad grin on his face before he stumbled out of bed to get his camera on the shelf across the room.

I laughed at his antics and looked back down at my belly in wonder.

A pair of tiny feet was pressed against my skin, about halfway up my belly, perfectly visible and still.

All of my sleepiness was gone in a heartbeat.

Best Mother's Day _ever._

**AN: **More gold stars to everyone who didn't die from the fluff!


	18. Love Comes In Many Ways

**CHAPTER 18: LOVE COMES IN MANY WAYS**

_JULY_

_Alexis' Point of View_

Now that school was out until fall, Ashley and I spent every day together, whether it was attending his soccer matches, going to my Lamaze classes, or just hanging out in the park. (When we were around dad and Kate, we spent a lot of time fielding jokes about how we behaved like a married couple. We both laughed it off, even though we were well aware of what we were doing) More often than not, Melissa was with us, too. She does talk regularly now, but she's just very quiet, even though she got over her worry about the language barrier of her speaking Spanglish instead of English, like Ashley and I do. (She speaks Spanglish with an Australian accent now) I think that part of the reason she's so quiet is that while Ashley and I both know about all of her scars, it seems like there is something that she's still holding back from us, and I keep waiting for her to have a PTSD episode whenever we go through the park because she says that that's where the attack was, but so far, nothing. On the days that Ashley is too busy to hang out, Melissa is there, and she keeps me company. (At first I found Melissa's loyalty to me a little weird, but when I confided in Madison and Emily about it, they told me that ever since their baby sister opened up to me about her injuries and we became friends, she's felt obligated to protect me and my baby because there was nobody there to protect her. That, and Ashley and I are the first real friends Melissa has ever had) One time I found a copy of _What To Expect When You're Expecting_ in her purse, and told her that she had Madison's copy, but Melissa told me that it was hers. When I questioned her, she informed me that she wanted to be able to help me as much at possible. Melissa has even gone as far as to treat me to a few nights out, where it's just the two of us having fun, and we have the _best_ sleepovers at her house. She's even gone to Lamaze classes with me when Ashley couldn't, thus earning the permanent role of "Aunt Missy."

On one pleasantly warm summer morning, Melissa, Ashley and I were wandering aimlessly through Central Park, talking about our plans for the day when we arrived at Bow Bridge, just at the foot of the Lake, and Melissa stopped short and went pale. Her fingers immediately started running patterns over her long sleeves, tracing the scars underneath.

"What is it, Missy?" I asked with the concern of a parent. "Are you having a flashback?"

All Melissa could do was nod mutely and reach for my hand, which I gladly gave to her. She held on as tightly as she had the night our families had dinner together. Sensing how frightened she was, I let her rest her head on my shoulder as I held her close, feeling like I was comforting a small child. The baby started kicking, too, and I think its heart turned to butter as its movements became a little more frenzied when Melissa put her hand on my belly to track the movement. Ashley reached out and placed a comforting hand on Melissa's back. When she didn't flinch, he gave her a gentle backrub in an effort to make her feel safe. I found myself whispering comforting words of a mother's love to my scared friend—all though I didn't even know where they had come from—all the while hoping and praying that she'd be okay.

Even though it wasn't happening quite the way I expected, I was pretty sure Melissa was suffering from some sort of PTSD episode right in front of us. I didn't let go of her hand the whole time.

When it was all over, Melissa straightened up and wiped her tears away.

"Lo siento, amigos." She mumbled, taking her bag from me. "I just wasn't expecting that to happen."

"This is where…" Ashley hesitated for a second, realizing the weight of his next words. "This is where it happened, isn't it?"

Melissa nodded, taking a deep shuddering breath and slowly letting it out as she pointed to a nearby bench with a shaky finger. "It happened over there. We were taking una noche, an evening stroll because my parents had been fighting a lot lately, and I took it on myself to fix it. I still don't know what they were fighting about, but it made my heart hurt because I heard my names and my sisters' names come up a lot." She shook her head briefly, trying to rid herself of a memory. "My sisters and I had always been very close with our parents, so it was just weird to see them like that. I thought that if they went for a walk, they'd cool off."

"Did they?" I wanted to know.

She smiled, briefly. "They did, actually. It was at that bench that they stopped and apologized to me." Her eyes filled with tears again, and she wiped them away with her free hand, still not wanting to let go of me. "Mum and dad held me and hugged and kissed me, saying that no matter what happened to them, my sisters and I were their whole world, and I should _always_ remember that mi familia is everything."

Ashley and I were both speechless because we knew we were hearing Melissa's unedited version of events, and something told me that not even her sisters were this lucky. We could only watch as she plowed on, determined to get everything off her chest.

"Everything was loco after that." She continued. "A band of thugs appeared out of nowhere. One of them pulled a knife on dad and was getting ready to stab him, while a second thug grabbed mum and made her watch. Mum screamed at me to run, and I didn't make it very far because a third man grabbed me. I tried to fight him, but I fell and my skin got ripped up from the gravel, and he led me down." Melissa squeezed her eyes shut for a second, this time reaching for Ashley's hand, too. I wanted so much to take her pain away, but this was something that she _needed_ to do. "Dad went first, making me promise to take care of mum and also making me promise to hold Maddie's and Emmy's hands. Mum lasted a little while longer, but not much because she had already lost so much blood, and I was covered in it. Her last to me were 'I love you, Melissa,' but I didn't remember until later because I was already in the process of being cut up and violated. The man who did it to me said that he had orders to 'mark me up,' and that I was lucky that night because normally he's the kind of guy to defy orders, but I was 'just too pretty to kill.' He didn't touch my face because he said he'd get a thrill out of knowing that in the future, I could lead the guys on with my looks, but once they saw _all_ of me, they wouldn't want a girl covered in scars." Tears were falling freely down her face, but she still wasn't crying like I know she wanted to. "Nobody saw _any_ of it because it was a Monday noche, when most New Yorkers would be at a bar, catching the game. _I_ called 911 and went into shock afterwards." She looked across the Lake, but there was a faraway look in her eyes, as if she wasn't looking at the other side at all. Melissa squeezed my hand gently to let me know that I was the one being addressed. "I didn't make a sound until the night we had dinner at the loft, Alexis, and both of you," she squeezed both mine and Ashley's hands. "Are the first people to get my version of the account. Not even Catalina knows." Melissa and Kate (whom is used to being addressed as 'Catalina' by now) have struck up a friendship because they both experienced traumatizing losses at the same age. "Up until that day, Madison was at her wit's end with me. She knew that I'd gone through a horrible event, but she was angry that I'd shot down all her attempts to get me to talk again. I just didn't want to talk, but I didn't know how to say that. Emily tried, too, but she got mad, as well."

"What about your friends?" Ashley asked, not knowing of my conversation with the older Queller sisters. "Did they help you?"

Melissa shook her head and laughed hollowly. "I've never had any real friends because I was always the social outcast, so I was never good at keeping anybody. You two are the first real friends I've ever had because," she pointed to me using one of her fingers that were intertwined with mine. "I could tell from the start that you are a trustworthy person, and you," she nodded to Ashley. "Were just nice to me. You didn't have to be, even though I'm just a stray that your girlfriend collected."

My boyfriend smiled kindly at her. "You are no stray, Melissa. You are one of the best friends I could ever ask for, especially with the way that you look after Alexis when I can't be there. It means the world to me that you care that much, even though we haven't known you for that long. I trust you, and you've rightfully earned the title of being the baby's aunt." Melissa glanced back at me for reassurance and I nodded. "And I think there is a one-of-a-kind guy who is waiting somewhere out there for you." He continued. "Whoever that guy is, he's waiting for _you, _because you're everything that he ever wanted in a soul mate, and he's going to be crazy lucky that you're his."

Melissa broke down into sobs again, but this time her tears were happy ones as she whispered a single word: _Gracias._

When her tears had finally subsided, I wiped away her last few tears and smiled at her. "We are so incredibly proud of you for telling us these things, Melissa, but I do have one last question for you."

"Que sería? What would that be?"

"Have you been back here since that night?"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't. I've been to mum and dad's graves heaps of times, but not back _here_, even though my favorite part of the park—the Ramble—is jut on the other side of the bridge."

"Then let's go." Ashley held his hand out to her again for her to hold. "Let's go the Ramble."

Melissa took his hand, but was still taken aback by his straightforwardness, so she looked back at me for help. I understood what my boyfriend was getting at and took Melissa's free hand. "Neither of us will let go until you want us, too, Melissa. All you have to do is breathe."

My words seemed to console her because she nodded and let us help her cross the bridge to the other side. My heart was almost faint with relief when Melissa was smiling a genuine smile almost as soon as we were to the other side and heading down one of the many footpaths that lay before us. It was as if literally crossing the bridge had brought a major stage in her healing.

For the first time since I had met Melissa, I could tell that she was truly happy. There was enough evidence of it in her smile and newfound animated nature. As Ashley and I watched her wander off down the path a little ways ahead of us, I was strongly reminded of LJ on the first day that we met her.

I knew without a doubt that we were seeing the real Melissa Queller.

After we walked for awhile, the baby was starting to make me feel tired. Just our luck, we happened upon the Ladies' Pavilion, a shelter that had been built at the same time as the park. I sat down, grateful to be off my feet. We hadn't been there for long when we received a visitor.

I knew he had to be interesting because Melissa stopped talking in mid-sentence as soon as he came into view and started tracking him with her eyes, the same way that Ezekiel and Moses had done the first time they saw LJ. Our visitor was a tall Caucasian boy about our age, and at first glance, I could tell that he had been through something like Melissa and I have, because those green eyes looked like they had seen a lot in a really short time. His height made me wonder if there was some Irish in him somewhere. The boy was dressed in a black AC/DC shirt, khaki shorts and black Chuck Taylor high top sneakers. A black New York Yankees hat sat on top of a shock of bright red hair.

Interestingly enough, he was carrying art supplies with him. I looked over at Melissa, wondering what was going on in her head. She's an artist, too.

_Melissa Point of View_

Intrigued by this newcomer, especially since he was carrying an art easel, canvas, and a pencil case under his arm, I reached into my bag and pulled out my sketchbook and pencils and continued to watch him as he began to talk.

"Well, hello, there." He bowed with a flourish that immediately made me want to giggle. "My name is Calvin, and during the year, I'm an art student at NYU."

Ashley arched an eyebrow. "And during the summer…?"

"I draw portraits of people in the park and do a little side work in my dad's photography studio." He answered. "What are your names?"

Ashley and Alexis introduced themselves to Calvin, but when his green eyes met my blue ones, I jumped because I could feel a physical spark between us, and I know he did, too, because he smiled at me in a way that made my heart beat a little faster. It was all only for a second. I think I was in love.

"Mi nombre es Melissa Paisley Queller." I spat out when I remembered how to talk.

The other two looked at me curiously because this was the first time that I had ever said my middle name out loud.

"What a beautiful name." He commented, making me blush furiously as he turned to Ashley and Alexis. "I was wondering if I could draw a portrait of you two."

Alexis smiled. "Sure. That sounds like fun." She turned to her boyfriend. "Doesn't it, Ash?"

"It does." He agreed.

"What about me?" I asked.

Calvin noticed my sketchbook and beckoned me over. "May I see your hands?"

I was taken aback as I approached him "Que? Excuse me?"

"I see your sketchbook, but I want to see if you have the hands of an artist." He put his things down on the ground and held his hands out to me. "It's okay, Melissa. I promise you I'm not a weirdo, and I _promise_ I won't hurt you. I just believe that every hand tells a story."

Curiosity getting the better of me, I placed my hands in his palms with my own palms facing up. I felt another spark, and he felt this one, too, because he gave my hands an affectionate squeeze as he looked at my palms and fingers.

"Long, slender fingers." He noted, starting to trace my fingers. "They look like they have dexterity for art, as well the piano. Do you play? I do."

"Si." I nodded, trying not to let my breath hitch at just his touch. "My mum started teaching me when I was three."

He smiled. "You have very strong hands. Very beautiful."

"Please." I scoffed, trying to downplay how I felt about the condition of my hands. "They're horribly scarred and weathered."

"Nevertheless—what happened here?"

My shirt sleeves had ridden back a little to reveal some of my nastier scars. I immediately pulled away from Calvin's grasp and yanked the sleeves back down.

"Nothing, Calvin. _Nada."_ I answered, trying not to let my happy mood get me down. "Do I pass? Do I 'have the hands of an artist,' then?"

He nodded slowly, obviously detecting that there was something I wasn't telling him. "Yes, Melissa, you do." He picked my sketchbook off the ground and dusted it off, putting his pencil case on top of it. "And guess what? You can help me."

And so, I spent the next half hour with my new friend, holding his pencils and charcoal for him and pointing out areas on the canvas that needed improvement as a portrait of Alexis and Ashley came to life.

Later on, we invited him to have lunch with us at our favorite diner in town. Calvin gladly accepted, saying that he could finish his work there. He did finish it, and when he was done, he slid the canvas—whose view was still obstructed by all the menus he had placed in front of it—over to me and passed me a napkin with a verse written on it, and asked me to copy the words down in the nicest handwriting that I could.

His reasoning was that my handwriting was surely nicer than his. Calvin's handwriting was illegible at first glance, but upon further inspection, I recognized the distinguishing characteristics of Dysgraphia in his letters. I knew the learning disability when I saw it because mum had had it, and Emily still does. Once I realized what the untidy scrawl said, I printed the following words onto a banner Calvin had sketched underneath the lifelike rendering of our friends: _True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. _

I tried to pass the canvas back to Calvin when I was done, but he wouldn't take it back until I had at least outlined and shaded the banner as further contributions to the picture. Calvin also insisted that I put my signature under his in the corner since I had worked on the picture, too. I finally gave the canvas back to him and watched as he gave it to our friends. My heart was fit to burst with happiness when I saw how full of joy they were at the sight of the finished picture.

Our new friend stayed with us for a few more hours until he received a text from his mom asking him to come home. I was actually disappointed when he left, so he gave me his number.

Calvin called me later that night and we talked about everything under the sun for three hours straight. He was so easy to talk to and we talked with such ease, that I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with him a little bit more, even though we hadn't even known each other for twenty-four hours yet. The only reason that we ended our conversation earlier than either of us wanted to was because Madison knocked on the door and told me that it was after midnight. When I protested, Madison middle named me and threatened to hijack my phone to tell Calvin an embarrassing childhood story about me. Naturally, Calvin wanted to hear it anyway, but I bid him goodbye, promising to call him in the morning.

Just as I was falling asleep, I got a text from him.

_I don't know if you believe in soul mates, but I do. I'm so glad we found each other._

**AN: **Why, yes, I _do_ enjoy writing fluff and giving out gold stars to people who don't OD on it.

**P.S.: **I've never really suffered from PTSD before, so I'm apologizing now for any inaccuracies, but I just imagined that Melissa would be very traumatized after having experienced the deaths of her parents like that. Again, if I got something wrong, I _am _sorry because it wasn't intended. Please don't lecture me, and everyone will be happy. (Quick reminder: Melissa speaks Spanglish with an Australian accent because her parents were from Australia, and when she started talking again, she chose to speak Spanglish because that's what Madison's boys speak as their first language.) One last thing: Dysgraphia is a real learning disability in which there is literally a deficiency in the ability to write. Layman's terms: your handwriting is chicken scratches _because_ of a leaning disability. (My apologies if I got it wrong. This isn't one of the learning disabilities _I_ have, but I did go to school for two years with someone who did) I also apologize if my Spanish is wrong. I _was_ using Google Translate.


	19. Summer Balls and Prophecies

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Congrats to phnxgrl & cookme25 for the 99th & 100th reviews! 101 gold stars to you both!

**P.S.: **This chapter is in honor of Stana Katic's birthday on April 26th :D

**CHAPTER 19: SUMMER BALLS & PROPHECIES**

_Alexis' Point of View_

About a two-and-a-half weeks after we met Calvin, Kate announced that the annual Policeman's Summer Ball fundraiser at the Plaza Hotel was approaching. She invited all of hers and dad's friends, and said she had tickets for Ashley, Melissa and Calvin, too. The boys had quickly accepted the invitation, and Melissa was still a little reluctant, even on the day of the event.

Even her voice was full of reluctance. "I'm not so sure about this, amigos…"

All four of us were sitting in the loft living room at eleven in the morning, and the boys and I were trying to convince Melissa to go dress shopping. Dad, Kate, Gram and LJ were already gone for the day.

"Come on, Missy." Ashley tried. "Calvin and I already have our tuxedoes, believe it or not. All that's left is tagging along with you and Lex to see that you get the prettiest dresses possible."

"Yeah, cariño." Calvin called Melissa 'sweetheart' in Spanish, making her blush furiously, something he seemed to be very good at. "Ashley will be waiting on Alexis hand and foot, like he always does, but today _I_ get to do that for _you,_ and I've really been looking forward to that. Please don't dash my hopes."

She looked over at me. "You seriously want to have a shopping day, even though you're seven months pregnant, chica?"

I put my hands on my huge belly, wincing as Squishy gave me a hard kick. "Yes, I do. This will probably be one of the last big things I do before the baby comes, and I want _all_ of my best friends are there." I smirked as I suddenly remembered something. "And besides I'm on explicit orders from Madison and Emily to make sure you have a beautiful dress and a beautiful pair of shoes, too. They both expect to see you with us, tonight."

"Of course they do." She grumbled. "Leave it to mis hermanas mayores to go over my head when they want something done…"

"Maddie said something about lending you her charge card…"

Melissa gestured towards her shoulder bag on the dining room table. "It's in mi wallet. She wouldn't let me leave the house without—Calvin! What are you doing?"

Calvin had interrupted her by walking over and pulling her to her feet, so he could have easier access to her sweater buttons. Melissa was momentarily stunned by the action and held her arms out, allowing him to continue. I raised my eyebrows at her easy submission, briefly wondering if the two of them had had time behind closed doors that Ashley and I didn't know about. But then again, Melissa is easily stunned when it comes to certain topics…

I looked back at her and saw that she was now standing stock still, with her arms at her sides, eyes fixed on Calvin. Melissa's arms were now completely bare, and her sleeveless dress made sure that every single scar was clearly visible now. Her sweater was lying forgotten on the floor, and as she stood, I noticed that her dress had a criss-cross back, allowing us to see all of the scars there, too.

"Okay, seriously, man!" Ashley spoke up. _"What_ are you doing?"

Calvin was halfway through the process of taking his shirt off, making me automatically avert my eyes. It felt wrong for me to be looking at him if he wasn't wearing a shirt, mostly because my pregnancy hormones messed with my head all the time.

"I need to show all of you something, especially Melissa." He took his shirt all the way off and I turned away quicker, trying to focus on thoughts of Ashley without his shirt. Calvin laughed at me. "It's okay, Alexis. Stop shielding your eyes."

I looked over and saw Melissa's eyes were sweeping over the upper half of Calvin's body, and rightly so. He always wears shirts that show off his muscles, and this time we saw them, along with a perfectly toned set of six pack abs. He stepped into the light, and then I saw exactly what he meant by having something to show us.

"You have scars, too…" I said softly.

He nodded and ran his fingers over the old scars on his front side. "Six years ago, mom and I were jumped in the subway. I don't know who these people were, but three of them appeared out of nowhere and started to take my mom. I was thirteen, but this was my _mom_ who was in danger, and I was her _only _child, so it was my _duty_ to protect her."

Melissa was completely silent, apparently shocked by what she was hearing. I still remembered how to talk. "What happened to you, Calvin? How did you get those scars?"

"The third man pulled out a long knife and stabbed me three times." A soft gasp was heard from Melissa, and her eyes began to fill up with tears, but she didn't make another noise. "This scar," he traced a jagged scar running from just below his right shoulder to the inside of his elbow. "Is where the doctors had to remove a bullet that was lodged in my arm."

"You survived being _shot?"_ Ashley was incredulous.

"A coma, too."

"A-a _coma?"_ It was my turn to be incredulous. "You were comatose?"

"Yes." He nodded, and it became clear he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. "After I was shot, I was in a coma because I hit my head on the ground. I heard later on that the kind Samaritan—a married man with a pregnant wife and three children, one who is our age—had tried come to help me save my mom, but he was shot in the heart and died on the spot." Calvin began to cry without shame. "I was in a coma for a _month."_

"Where was your dad when this happened?" I asked.

"Dad was about to do a _huge_ project way down in Baja California, the kind that could really be a turning point in his career… but when I woke up from the coma, one of the first things he told me was that get the news as soon as his plane touched down, and got on the next flight home so he could be with me while the police looked for mom."

"What happened to her?" I wanted to know. "Was she there when you woke up?"

He shook his head and wiped his tears. "No. She was still gone, and wouldn't be back for a long time yet." Calvin turned to Melissa and spoke softly to her. "So you see, my Melissa, I understand what it's like to live with scars that carry horrible memories."

Melissa nodded and began to slowly trace his scars, one at a time. "Si, mi amor, you do." She was crying, too. "How are you still alive? How can you draw those beautiful pictures? How can you make all of those beautiful drawings with me? How can you make all of those beautiful photographs?" She shook her head and hit his shoulder, trying to process what she had just been told. "By all accounts, you should be _dead!"_ One of the defining facts about Melissa is that she has a strong faith, but she's also deeply grounded in science. "Yo no entiendo, Calvin." She shook her head again. "I don't understand."

"Please tell me you understand miracles."

Melissa nodded reluctantly because she recently confessed to me once that miracles are some of the hardest things for her to wrap her mind around sometimes.

"I try my hardest to understand them. You _know_ that."

Calvin nodded. "Well, that's good enough for me." He tilted her chin up so they were looking at each other eye-to-eye, having forgotten Ashley and I awhile ago. "I beat the odds and survived stabbings, a gunshot _and_ a coma. That's an act of God." He carressed her hair as she continued to cry. "You survived a horrible, _horrible_ experience that involved you earning your own scars, and even losing your parents. Survivng that, as well as your injuries is a miracle all by itself." Calvin reached for one of Melissa's hands and brought her fingertips to his lips and kissed it. Melissa failed to keep her breath from hitching at his touch. "But you know what?"

"Que?" she asked breathlessly. "Do tell."

"The scars remain for both of us, but we are _still here_ because we _survived, _and nobody can ever take that away from us because it's who we are now. Don't be afraid to show your true colors, and _don't_ be afraid to let your scars show. I'm not."

In a very touching gesture, Melissa kissed each of Calvin's scars, and I knew in that instant that everything in my friends' relationship had changed because I saw the glimpse of something very beautiful rising from the ashes.

"Los milagros ocurren, mi amor." She whispered to him in a shaky voice. "Miracles happen."

Ashley and I were completley forgotten by now. Our friends were both holding each other in their arms, both crying without shame now. Melissa put her hands on Calvin's arms as he held her around the waist and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him full on the lips. Calvin returned the kiss with such passion that I quickly realized we were witnessing there first kiss. The sunlight suddenly came pouring through the window and hit them both, enveloping them. Ashley quckly grabbed his camera and managed to take quick shot of the two of them.

Calvin and Melissa drew apart after a minute and he looked at her adoringly. "Now: we are _going_ out with Ashley and Alexis, and we are _going_ to make sure you have the prettiest dress and shoes that Maddie's money can buy. Your sisters are _going_ to see you, you're _going _to dance with me if that's what it comes down to, and you're _going _to love all of it." He looked her square in the eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Si."

"Well, good." He touched his forehead to hers, since there was only a few inches between their heights. "I think we have an audience."

Melissa turned towards us and blushed furiously. "You two have been here all this time, watching us?"

"Oh, yes." Ashley nodded, trying not to look to gleeful. "The _whole_ time."

I smiled, too. "You ready to go now?"

Melissa nodded and walked away to retrieve her bag as Calvin put his shirt back on. When we left the loft, I noticed that Melissa purposefully left her sweater by the front door, truly baring all of her scars to the world this time.

After three long hours, during which Ashley fussed over me like a nervous mother hen, and Melissa was just flat out giggly about Calvin truly taking the "waiting-on-her-hand-and-foot" statement to heart, we had two perfect outfits ready for the Ball. We came back to the loft to find Gram on her way out the door, saying that she had a few things to take care of before she went to the Plaza later on. When we moved aside to let her pass, we saw dad and Kate, both dressed to the nines—him in a tuxedo, and her in a scarlet knee-length summer dress that totally showed off her big belly—and having an intense conversation as LJ zipped happily around the room. She squealed with delight when she saw us, just as she always does. (LJ thinks my friends and I are the coolest people in the whole world) Just as Ashley was helping me onto the couch and propping my feet up, LJ ran full speed for Calvin, who saw her coming and swept her up into his arms. My sister grinned cheekily at him, and quick as lightning, she plucked his Yankees baseball cap off his head and put it on her own head, holding it down and lecturing him in Spanglish—at which she was quite adept by now—about not taking it from her for awhile. Calvin could do nothing but nod in agreement with her because like the rest of us, he found my baby sister's antics endearing.

LJ called over to our parents from within his arms. "Mama! Daddy! Calvin, Missa, Lexie an' Ashy are here now! They fix problem!"

The pair of them stopped talking and seemed to consider her words. This had me curious. "What's going on?"

"Kate needs to be at the Plaza _really _soon, and for what, she won't tell me." Dad explained as Kate impulsively stuck her tongue out at him. "Emily and Thomas were supposed to come and pick LJ up and take her to the Plaza with them, but they fell behind schedule and can't make it here on time."

"And we _really_ need to get going," Kate stressed, looking at the clock on the microwave. "Like, _now!"_

"We can take her, Kate." Calvin said suddenly. "We don't mind." He looked at the rest of us for support and we all nodded. "We can do it."

"Are you sure?" Dad and Kate chorused.

"Yes." We chorused back.

LJ burst into giggles at the sounds of all of our voices sounding at the same time. "Please, mama?" She pleaded when her laughter subsided. "LJ be _really_ good, _an' _watch over Squishy since you an' Nemo leavin' wif daddy now!" We all tried our hardest not too laugh because she looked very comical in her summer outfit and Calvin's Yankees hat was huge on her. "Pleeease?"

Kate and dad had one of their silent eye conversations with each other before approaching me. "You really don't mind?"

"No." I answered, rubbing my belly. "Pregnant, or not, _I_ don't mind, and with these three," I gestured to my friends. "By my side, I know that we'll have everything under control."

Kate cast a look at the others, and bless their hearts, they all nodded feverishly to back me up.

"Oh," Kate threw her hands up in mock defeat. "Who am I to say no? Have fun, everybody!"

LJ squealed in delight and slid down Calvin's front and ran over to Kate to give her a hug around the knees. She ran over to dad to repeat the process. A few minutes later, dad and Kate were finally gone—we had to shoo them out the door—and we all went upstairs to change. The boys let themselves into the extra rooms down the hallway to change into their tuxedos they had left there this morning, and LJ was content to play in her room while Melissa and I changed in my room.

"So what was that kiss about, then?" I teased as I pulled my new dress on and smoothed it out. "Time behind closed doors with your man that Ashley and I don't know about?"

The movements from inside my closet where Melissa was changing had become very still, and I was pretty sure she was blushing. I was right when she emerged from my closet with her dress on, but needed help getting the zipper up. I didn't fail to notice the bright red color her face had turned as she turned around for me to help her.

"What do you mean, 'time behind closed doors'?'" She echoed, straightening her back as I did the zipper. "We've done no such thing, mija."

"Are you sure?" I teased, now tying the sash on my dress. "You have been _so_ _giggly_ since we met him."

"What can I say?" she shrugged. "He's charming."

I shook my head and laughed. "You two haven't had sex, but that was one _hell_ of a first kiss."

"You've got that right…" Melissa muttered.

"And what about how you submitted so easily to Calvin when he started to undo the buttons on your sweater?"

If it was possible, Melissa's cheeks burned even redder than they already were. "Oh, that? Last night, I had a dr—"

I didn't get to find out what she was going to say because right at that moment, we were interrupted by the sound of a tiny fist pounding on my bedroom door.

LJ's voice sounded from the other side. "Lexie? Missa? LJ come in now? Ashy an' Calvin ready now!"

_Melissa's Point of View _

Leaving Alexis to do up her hair, I went over to the door and opened it. LJ was standing there, grinning happily as she held her arms up to me.

"Hi, Missa!" She cooed, leaning against me. "LJ get ready now?"

I nodded. "Almost, un poco."

She nodded, not really paying attention to me because she was looking at something else. "What happen here an' here, Missa?" LJ was tracing the scars on my right arm and looking at me with complete seriousness. "Gots big owies?"

"Yeah, I do." I sighed a shaky sigh and closed my eyes as huge tears down my face. "Big owies."

I suddenly felt her little hands pat the sides of my face. "Open eyes, Missa! Open, open!"

Sighing, I opened them, but my heart turned over with happiness because I was rewarded with one of LJ's sunnier smiles. Before I could say anything, she pressed tiny little girl kisses against the scars she had been tracing. I was filled with love and awe for the tiny human in my arms as she looked back at me.

"Don't gots 'Livia or 'Tenant Cuddles, but kisses make it better, Missa. Always. "

My voice was a whisper, too, and I touched my forehead to hers. "Gracias, LJ."

She wrapped her little arms around my neck in a hug. "De nada, mi Missa!" Her little voice dropped to a whisper. "Te amo."

A gentle touch on my shoulder brought me back to reality. Looking up and shifting LJ to my hip, I saw both of the guys standing in the doorway, both dressed in tuxedos and smiling at me, and Alexis was walking over, too.

"Well, look at you two." I smiled. "Very dapper."

Both boys bowed in a similar fashion. Ashley was wearing a traditional black tuxedo, but LJ was puzzled by Calvin's tuxedo.

"Calvin," She even her voice was confused as she leaned over to him to be held. "Your tuxedo _blue,_ like Missa's dress!"

He was dressed in a traditional powder blue tuxedo, and I was wearing a ballroom dress and matching flats that were the same shade.

Calvin took LJ from me. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, Calvin." She nodded and reached up to bump the hat rim of his matching top hat. "Like your hat, too."

"Thanks, little sis." He tried to sneak his hand around to take back his baseball hat, which she was still wearing. "Can I have this one back?"

"No!" she squawked with a giggle, clamping her hands down over her head. "Already gots one on!"

Alexis laughed as she smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in her pink dress. "Is it just me, or does it feel like we're all a family?"

"It does." Ashley agreed. "It really does."

"And none of us are married…" I commented.

My words earned wide-eyed stares from Calvin, Alexis and Ashley, and they were all speechless. LJ wasn't.

"Silly, Missa!" She giggled. "Lexie an' Ashy get married, an' _then_ you an' Calvin!"

I was still speechless, as was Calvin, but both of us followed LJ out of the room as she pulled me away to her room, talking about helping her get dressed. Twenty minutes later, we had her dressed in a navy blue tutu dress. (She had been bent on matching with us, but settled for that dress when we convinced her it was still blue) Her hair was done up in pigtails with ponytail holders, and as always, she wore her clear jelly shoes on her feet. A blue beaded bracelet on her chubby little bracelet completed her look.

As we left her room and went to meet the others, who were now downstairs, LJ was singing softly to herself, and I realized that she was singing "True Love's Kiss," from the movie _Enchanted. _I caught the last two lines of the song, even though she was a little off-key.

_So to spen' a life of en'less bliss, just fin' who you love through true love's kiss!_

LJ really was a little angel.

_Across town at the Plaza Hotel_

_Kate's Point of View_

Once we got to the Plaza, I shooed Castle away to our table, so he could save it for our family and friends. When he was out of sight, I slipped away backstage for awhile, so I could confirm with the event coordinators that I was here before making my way back to our table and sitting next to Castle.

"Where did you go?" he asked curiously as the seats around us began to fill up.

I was saved from answering him because the lights went down and the director walked out onto the stage and began to talk. Without taking my eyes away from the director, I whispered to my boyfriend.

"Hush, love. The show is about to start."

I was very fidgety during the first half of the show, thinking of what I was going to be doing later. Castle had no idea what was going on in my head, and just chalked up my behavior to Nemo being restless. He was half right about that, because Nemo _was_ being restless, but that was only because it was reacting to _my_ nervousness.

When the curtain dropped for intermission, I got up, making the excuse that I needed to stretch my legs. Castle bought the excuse and let me go without question. After a quick stop to the bathroom, I made my way backstage, and one of the assistants rushed up to me as I headed to my spot on the edge of the stage, waiting in the wings for my signal.

"Did anyone suspect anything, Miss Beckett?" he asked.

I shook my head and smiled. "Not a thing."

"Good." He handed me a microphone and I checked to make sure it was working. "It's almost time to start!"

He hurried away as the program coordinator joined me. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." I answered confidently. I rested a hand on my belly as Nemo turned over and let a knee roll across my skin. "Someone else is, too."

The program coordinator smiled. "You'll do great!

Another assistant rushed up to us and informed him that it was time for him to take his spot on the stage. The program coordinator nodded to him and wished me luck before walking out to the center stage, just as the curtains rose.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began. "I won't go on with a long introduction because it isn't necessary, so I'll just say this: it's not often when we find out that one of our own has a rather extraordinary hidden talent that they are willing to bless with us, but tonight, we have one of those people who is _very _willing to share her talent with us! Please give a warm round of applause to our very own _Kate Beckett!"_

I strode out onstage to very loud and enthusiastic applause. I spotted my family and friends at their table right away because it was right in front. All of the adults were clapping, but were speechless in surprise. LJ, Zeke, and Moses, however, were standing up on their chairs and blowing kisses to me. I smiled and waved back to them before straightening back up to focus.

The orchestra began to play, and I took a deep breath to center myself. Holding the microphone at the proper distance, I began to sing.

_Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum  
You came along and everything starting to hum  
Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come  
The best is yet to come, and babe, won't that be fine  
You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine  
Wait till the warm-up's underway  
Wait till our lips have met  
Wait till you see that sunshine day  
You ain't seen nothin' yet  
The best is yet to come, and babe, won't it be fine  
The best is yet to come, come the day you're mine  
Come the day you're mine  
I'm gonna teach you to fly  
We've only tasted the wine  
We're gonna drain that cup dry  
Wait till your charms are right, for these arms to surround_  
_You think you've flown before, but baby you ain't left the ground  
Wait till you're locked in my embrace  
Wait till I draw you near  
Wait till you see that sunshine place  
Ain't nothin' like it here  
The best is yet to come, and babe won't it be fine  
The best is yet to come, come the day you're mine  
Come the day you're mine  
And you're gonna be mine_

I always knew I had a good singing voice, and some of my favorite memories ever are from when I was little and sang show tunes with my mom, but when I looked out to the crowd afterward, and especially at my table, I was filled with pride.

I had just sang my heart out while making a public declaration of love to Castle, and the crowd loved every minute of it.

_Alexis' Point of View_

After Kate's performance, we all looked at her with new respect, and as soon as she sat back down, the little kids launched into a serious conversation about her skills.

"Din't know mama could do that…"

"Lina is esstrodinary…. "

"LJ, your Mamacita sing _good!"_

The rest of the night was pretty fun, after that, with different entertainment performances and the like. I was enjoying myself, and I knew my friends were, too. The last act of the night was Penny Marchand, daughter of the recently deceased psychic, Vivian Marchand. She did lots of readings for people in the audience, and even though my friends and I were completely enthralled by what she was doing, I couldn't help but notice how Captain Montgomery, all of his detectives, and even dad were unnaturally silent the whole time she was on the stage.

After she was done, the program coordinator came onstage and began a speech about fundraising. Ashley, Melissa, Calvin and I excused ourselves and went out into the lobby to sit down. Just as we were discussing what we were going to do after we left, we heard a set of high-heeled footsteps making their way towards us. Our newcomer was Penny Marchand.

"Hi." I greeted her. "We enjoyed watching you give readings." I looked at the others. "Didn't we?"

"Sure did."

"Yep."

"Si!"

Penny smiled and nodded. "I don't know how open all of you are to my gift, but I…I had a vision about the four of you, and I want to share it, if I may."

Personally, I'm accepting of all beliefs, and the boys believe anything. It's just Melissa who we wonder about sometimes. She did enjoy the readings, but more often than not, she approaches things with an analytical standpoint. The way spoke to Penny was proof enough.

"Oh, really?" she challenged. "What did you see?"

Penny chuckled. "Group skeptic, I see?"

I nodded as Calvin shushed Melissa, and Ashley came to sit next to me. "What did you see for us?"

"I had two separate visions at first, actually." She turned to Ashley and me. "For you two, I saw a dark cloud...like an argument…" Ashley and I exchanged nervous glances. In all the time we've been together, we _have_ fought, but we've never had any blow ups. (Our break up that we had before I left for England doesn't count because there wasn't any shouting, just lots of tears. There was also the time when I _temporarily_ lost Theodore the rat, and sent myself on a guilt trip worrying about Ashley hating me…) I don't think either of us could make it without the other. Penny hurried on. "But after the dark cloud, there was another baby besides the one you're carrying... a girl, coming a few years down the road, and there were wedding bells in the distance."

I leaned against Ashley and rested a hand on my belly as the baby chose that moment to kick up a storm. "A-another baby?" I asked weakly. "Just the thought of _one_ is exhausting."

Ashley rubbed by back and kissed my temple reassuringly. "But not for another for few years, she said. And we're going to be married and we'll have a _daughter,_ too."

"A baby girl…" I sighed contently, tracking the baby's movements with my hand. "We'd have one of each. That sounds like fun…"

"It does." He kissed me again and put his hand next to mine, causing the baby to kick us both. "We're going to be great together, baby. Dark cloud or argument, I'll always love you until we're old and grey."

I could only nod at his words and cuddle closer to him.

"What about us?" Calvin spoke up.

Penny turned to him. "Yours and your girlfriend's was very simple."

Right on cue, Melissa blushed furiously, and I chose not to mention how she and Calvin had been holding hands this whole time, and their fingers were intertwined, just like mine and Ashley's always are when we hold hands. "Calvin and I aren't together!"

"Not _yet, _you aren't." Penny's eyes twinkled with laughter.

"That's what you saw, Penny?" Calvin wanted to know. "You saw us together?"

"Indeed I did." The psychic confirmed. "I saw a few children, too, as well as the sound of _faint_ wedding bells?"

"'Faint wedding bells'?" Melissa echoed, but more to herself. Her analytical brain was clearly in action. "I wonder what that means…"

"Interpret it how you want, but both of the visions became one at the end."

I raised an eyebrow, exactly how Kate does. "Oh?"

"Yes." Penny nodded. "In the end, all of you were together, but…"

"But?" We chorused, hanging onto her every word by now.

"There were two more people with you four, and you were _all_ together and _very_ happy."

"So that means that there are still two people missing from our posse." Ashley surmised.

"Exactly."

Melissa's curiosity was winning over her skepticism now, and she asked a question. "Did you see when we met these people?"

"No." Penny shook her head as she stood up, getting ready to leave. "Only that all six of you will be very close-knit in the years to come like a family." She looked at her watch briefly. "I am so sorry, but I have some things that I have to take care of. I hope my words meant something to all of you."

…_Did they ever..._

As we watched Penny walk away from us, a stunned silence fell upon the four of us as were left to ponder her words and everything the future had in store for us.

**AN: **Happy birthday to Stana Katic! :D You get 1,033 gold stars :D

**P.S.: **I don't own "The Best Is Yet to Come" because Sinatra did, and if he didn't, the original lyricist did.

**P.P.S.: **Random fun facts pertaining to the story: 1) LJ's abilities (speech, thought processes, ect.) are based on my nephew & cousin. They're the same age as her and their thought processes and speech patterns are a little advanced for their age; 2) LJ's relationship with Zeke and Moses is based on one of my oldest friendships I had a with a set of brothers. I was in love with the eldest, who is nine days olds older than me, and he was the Zeke to my LJ. His two younger brothers had the same personality as Moses does; and 3) The character of Emily Ryan was made as a tribute to some dear friends, and as a nod to my two Australian readers.


	20. But That's What She Said

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This is for Reiley because she asked for it, and for Kristina, as well, because they are such extraordinary fans :) Lots of love & gold stars to you both.

**CHAPTER 20: BUT THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID**

After Penny left, we tossed around ideas of what to do. Melissa had a great suggestion.

"What about going for ice cream?" She pulled her Chinese paper fan from her clutch and began fanning herself with it. "Oh, _Dios mío,_ I'm getting hot at the _thought!_"

"Says _you."_ I said dryly, supporting the underside of my belly with my hands. _"You_ aren't _seven months_ pregnant."

"Duly noted, chica." She bowed her head slightly to me and turned to the others. "What do you think about ice cream?"

I responded promptly. "I'm game."

"Sure." Calvin nodded. "It's a total scorcher out there."

"So very true." Ashley agreed with him. "It's definitely ice cream eating kind of weather."

"All right then." I chirped happily. "It looks like we're going to go out for ice cream. I know the perfect place."

They all looked at me curiously and Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Do you, now?"

"Yes." I nodded. "It's called Serendipity Three, and it's over on East 60th Street."

"'The Serendipity Three?'" Melissa echoed. "I've never been there before…"

I gasped, slightly scandalized. "Never been? Help me up, and I'll tell you all about the chocolate ice cream."

Melissa promptly helped me to my feet and put an arm around me. "Chocolate ice cream? I _love_ chocolate."

"Well, good. You and I can even split the Forbidden Broadway Sundae. How does that sound?"

"Perfecto…"

Ashley interrupted. "Hey, wait! Why will you share with her and not me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him and smirked as he automatically backed up at my expression. Calvin stepped in. "Dude, there are several rules about chicks and ice cream, including how it brings them together."

"But she's sharing with Melissa!" Ashley complained. "And Alexis never shares _anything_ these days, unless it's with Lily Joy."

"Well, that beautiful little girl is an exception."

"Not helping!"

Calvin laughed, clearly enjoying Ashley's bewilderment. "There's also a rule that says you can't deprive a pregnant woman of chocolate."

We all looked at him curiously and I spoke up. "How do _you_ know that?"

He turned bright red and mumbled a response. "Mom said it first…"

"Right…" I looked over at Ashley. "Let's go get my car from the valet, huh? We don't have to take LJ home now, so we can go straight to the restaurant."

He took my hand in his, and I saw Calvin hold hands, too. "That sounds like a great idea."

One scorching hot car ride later, we arrived at my favorite restaurant in all of Manhattan and were stepping inside, being extra thankful for the invention of air conditioning. A friendly older waitress—an old family friend by the name of June—spotted us and came over with a stack of menus in her arms.

"Hello, Alexis." She smiled happily and spoke with a deep Southern accent. "Will LJ be joining you and your friends today?"

I shook my head. "No. She's with my parents." Next to me, Ashley coughed discreetly and I laughed, embarrassed at myself. "Where are my manners today? I'm sorry. Let me introduce you to my friends, June." I gestured to each person in turn, starting with Ashley. "This is my boyfriend, Ashley, and our good friends Melissa and Calvin." I turned back to the others. "Everybody, this is June, and she always serves my family or me when I come."

"I've known Alexis since she was a little pipsqueak! She's been coming here with her dad since she was three." June commented. "I could tell y'all so many stories about her…"

Ashley jumped in. "Please do!"

It was my turn to go red as my friends fed the birds with each other. Ashley and the others would never let me live it down if they heard about the Marshmallow Incident. "Please _don't._ That's the _last _thing I need…"

She shook her head and laughed, eyeing our outfits. "Any particular reason y'all are dressed to the nines?"

"We were at an event at la Plaza Hotel." Melissa explained. "And we came here to beat the heat."

"It's so flippin' _hot_ outside!" Calvin chimed in.

I looked around. "Is the usual spot available?"

"I'm sorry I kept you so long on your feet, Alexis, seeing as you're carrying precious cargo and all…" The waitress looked over to a particular booth by one of the window and saw that it was empty. "Sure is! Come on over!"

We followed her to the booth and got ourselves situated before looking at the menus. When we were ready, June took our orders—a Forbidden Broadway Sundae for Melissa and me, a Frrrozen Hot Chocolate for Ashley, and a traditional drug store caramel sundae for Calvin—and she left to the kitchen. After a few minutes, or conversation turned towards our conversation with Penny.

"So it looks like Ashley and I are going to have a disagreement of some sort, but we're still going to end up married." I mused.

"And we'll have a daughter, too." My boyfriend added, resting a palm on my belly possessively, a move that told the world that the baby and I were his and his alone. "That'll be interesting…"

"Just as interesting as me being married to Melissa." Calvin laughed and looked at her. "What do you think about that, mi amor?"

"We're the more loco ones here, so it could work."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "So says the skeptic one."

Melissa opened her mouth to protest, but Ashley stepped in. "But you just said something that contradicts your own beliefs!"

Melissa waved her hand in disgust. "Whatever!"

Ashley decided to push her buttons. "Do you have _any_ stock in what Penny said? Do you think that you and Calvin could have a happily ever after?"

Melissa's eyes immediately became glazed over at his words, just for few second before answering. "Yeah, Ashley I do. Calvin and I will definitely have a happily ever after, especially since we're both walking milagros."

…Don't mess with Melissa's stance on miracles…

I traced Ashley's fingers absently. "I never thought I'd see the day when our own Melissa Paisley would agree with a psychic told her about Calvin, love, marriage and _babies."_

My friend finally found an opportunity to speak for herself. "But that's what she _said...!"_

"Chill out, Missy. No need to get yourself worked up over this." He advised her, pressing her finger to his lips in a kiss. "Just as Kate's song said: the best is yet to come."

"No arguments there, mi amor."

I watched Melissa lean against Calvin and he kissed her cheek with the same kind love that we had witnessed in their kiss at the loft.

My thoughts began to wander as I thought about something that we needed to address sooner or later. It was going to come back to get us if we didn't talk about it…

Ashley nudged me gently. "Hey, in there, Red." I smiled at the nickname. "What are you thinking about?"

I straightened up and glanced at the other two, who were watching us curiously. "I've made an observation about three of us."

"What would that be?" Calvin asked.

"You, Melissa," I indicated the two of them and then myself. "And I are bound together by tragedy or some terrible event."

Melissa snorted. "There's the understatement of the year!"

I rolled my eyes. "I was briefly engaged to my baby's father—yes, really!" They both looked at me with wide eyes, blown away by this information. "He abandoned us, too, but it's all for the best. I was abandoned by my mom when I was LJ's age, too, and having your world fall apart when you're teeny tiny is life altering." I shook my head, trying to get rid of the memories. Squishy started kicking and Ashley's hand immediately joined my own on trying to calm the baby down with our touch. "You two witnessed horrific events that ended with loss, injuries and serious side effects. There's just one of us who hasn't told us anything like that."

A sudden look of comprehension dawned on Calvin and Melissa at the same time and they spoke in unison. "Yeah…"

We all looked at Ashley for an explanation, and he became squeamish, realizing that we had dug him into a whole with logic and curiosity. "I'm not saying anything!"

…Well, that right there is proof there's something he won't talk about…

"Are you sure?" Calvin tried.

"Yes." Ashley spoke firmly and looked up just in time to spot June coming with our orders. "Look! June's coming with our orders!"

We all looked over and saw June approaching, just like Ashley said. After she distributed our orders and walked away, my friends and I dug into our treats and turned our conversation to lighter topics.

…Ashley is obviously hiding something, but didn't want to talk about it…

…I wonder what it is…

**AN: **Five gold stars to anyone who can name the episode where Alexis went to Serendipity!


	21. Nesting, Times Two

**CHAPTER 21: NESTING, TIMES TWO**

_Castle's Point of View _

Kate and Alexis are both in the nesting phases of their pregnancies now, and that means that all they've been talking about lately is designing nurseries for the babies. I stopped trying to keep up with it awhile ago, but from what I've gathered, the nurseries are going to be separate—God only knows there are more than enough rooms in this loft for that option—and the themes are going to be gender-neutral since the genders of the babies remain unknown. Mother and LJ seem to be able to be able to keep up with the nursery talk because when mother comes by to visit, she's often with Kate and/or Alexis at the dining table, looking through decorating magazines. (Mother has been helping Kate a lot more lately because Kate has been on maternity leave since the day after the Policeman's Summer Ball) Alexis will ask LJ for her opinions, and LJ will get up on the empty chair next to Alexis at the table and point out different colors and patterns that she likes.

When I talked to Ryan, Esposito and Nicolas about this, they all said that their significant others were behaving the same way and advised me that it was just best to agree with Kate and Alexis about everything, lest I risk upsetting one or both of them. I've been on the bad side of their tempers before, but they're both a lot scarier now that their hormones are all over the place. (There was even a time when I had to both of them _and_ LJ because LJ had accidentally gotten on the bad side of Kate's temper…) Since Kate and Alexis are both eight months pregnant—and showing very well for it—they have both been running me ragged for things like crazy midnight food runs and foot rubs. I don't mind doing it because Kate is my girlfriend—and maybe one day soon my fiancée—and Alexis is my daughter, but I sincerely hope that if they become pregnant at the same time again in the future, that Alexis and Ashley are married. Ryan, Esposito and Nicolas are all lucky that their significant others are only expecting one each. Two pregnant ladies in one house together calls for twice the hormones all around…

…All though, Kate apparently felt bad that I was waiting on her and Alexis hand and foot, so she got Alexis to spend the night at Ashley's house last night and arranged for LJ to spend the night at Madison's, and treated me to a _very_ romantic evening. She told me that it was her way of giving back to me for all I've done over the past six months…

During the course of the pregnancies, I've come to discover that neither Kate nor Alexis have the willpower to turn down gifts from people. I noticed that the gifts are usually for the babies and not for the mothers themselves, so I decided to change that situation. After a meeting with Gina and Paula about the latest Nikki Heat book, I spent a better part of the afternoon in different parts of Manhattan, looking for different gifts to put together in gift boxes for Kate and Alexis. (Halfway through my shopping expedition, I decided to put a box together for LJ, too, so she wouldn't feel left out) Once I was satisfied with the assortment of gifts I had, I stopped at Paula's office to assemble everything since I couldn't do it at home. Paula was surprised at first, but when I explained the situation to her, she thought it was very sweet and even helped me so I got everything done in half the time.

I left her office and made it through the front door of the loft with three gift boxes, each one full of gifts and trinkets for my girls. Looking around, I saw that Kate and Alexis were in deep conversation about nurseries, as usual, and LJ was sitting next to them, but preoccupied with eating s'morelette. Their faces lit up when they saw me, even though Alexis looked a little annoyed about something. LJ was the only one didn't return to their activity because she finished her food, got off her chair and ran across the floor to me. I barely had time to put the gift boxes down on the chair next to the door before scooping her up in my arms for a hug.

"Hi, daddy." She chirped happily, pulling away to look at me. "Have good meetin' wif Gina an' Pa—what's that?"

I laughed as LJ switched thoughts in mid-sentence. She had seen the brightly colored gift boxes and was very curious about them.

"Those are presents for you, mama and Alexis." LJ's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Let's go see what they're doing first."

"Mama an' Lexie workin' on nursey t'emes." She informed me.

I corrected her gently. "I think the correct term is '_nursery themes,'_ princess."

LJ shrugged. "We show presents, then open?"

"That's the plan."

LJ squealed happily and slid out my arms and waited patiently for me to pick up the stack of boxes before hurrying over to the dining table. "Mama, Lexie! Daddy gots _presents_ for _all _of us!"

This got their attention right away and they pushed their magazines away to look at me.

"Which box is whose, Rick?" Kate asked, eyeing them curiously. "I think the flower-shaped one is a dead giveaway, though."

As if on cue, LJ's head popped up over the edge of the table. "Mama say 'flower'?" she inquired with Kate. "LJ _loves_ flowers!" LJ considered her words for a second, and added another thought. "Well, LJ love din'saurs, too." She looked up to Kate for an answer. "Okay to like two things?"

"Yes, Baby Bird." Kate assured her. "It's perfectly okay to like two things at the same time."

LJ breathed a huge audible sigh of relief and turned to me. "Flower box LJ's?"

"That's right." I extracted a pink and yellow flower shaped box from the stack and handed it to her. "Here you go, sweetheart."

She thanked me as she took the box and plunked down on the floor next to the table to open it. I was in the process of handing Kate her box—one shaped like a classic robot head—but there was a sudden roar of frustration from Alexis. Kate and I looked at her for an explanation, and even LJ looked up.

"What's wrong, Alexis?" I asked. "Are you all right?"

"Alexis has been a little cranky today…" Kate warned.

_Alexis' Point of View_

I tried to keep my temper in check as I heard Kate warn dad. My hormones were all over the place more today—more than usual—but my reasons were completely warranted.

"Of _course_ I've been cranky *hic* today!" I was aware I was being irritable, but it didn't matter much. "You *hic* would be, too, if you were *hic* in my position!"

"Do you have the hiccups, Alexis?" Dad asked cautiously.

"Yes, but only *hic* because the baby has had *hic* them for almost three hours *hic* straight! It's annoying!" Dad was going to say something, but I plowed on, ready to vent my feelings. "We were talking *hic* about nursery themes because we *hic* both need to start getting nurseries ready. *hic* It's a start, but we need _you_ *hic* and a few other people to move the *hic* furniture for us." I tried to take a few calming breaths to see if the baby would at least calm down, if it didn't want to stop. No such luck. I began to sob in frustration. "And now I can't even concentrate *hic* because this baby won't stop hiccupping! *hic* I can't _stand_ it!"

Without another word, I gathered up my magazines and headed upstairs to get my purse, deciding that a visit to Ashley was in order. After putting my magazines, car keys, Bellybuds and iPod into my purse, and checking to make sure I had my wallet, too, I went over to my bedside table drawer and looked through it for a minute before procuring a little tub of cocoa butter that I had picked up at the pharmacy after my last appoint Emily. She had suggested I use it at night before I go to bed, but I was tipped off via the grapevine of my mom and her friends that cocoa butter, while a little thick, works wonders during massages.

…Besides, Ashley gives a mean massage…

I put it in my purse and headed downstairs, wiping my tears, but still hiccupping. (The baby wasn't showing and signs of slowing down) I was almost out the door, but stopped when I felt a little hand tugging on my shirt. Looking down, I saw LJ was looking up at me with huge puppy dog tears in her eyes. My heart broke a little bit and I got down so I was eye level with her.

"What *hic* is it, little sis?" I wiped her tears away with my fingers, and that calmed her down a little. "What's *hic* wrong?"

"LJ make Lexie sad?"

"No. I'm just upset *hic* that the baby *hic* keeps hiccupping! Feel."

I lifted my shirt back a little to expose my belly and LJ's eye grew as wide as saucers she put her hands over the spot where the hiccups were clearly visible. My little sister's tears were gone as she watched in fascination, and my tears vanished because I was so touched by her curiosity and gentle whispers to the baby.

She fixed me with an inquisitive look, just like she had with Kate earlier. "Squishy gots hiccups like LJ does, sometimes?"

"Yeah!" I laughed. "Funny, *hic* huh?"

LJ nodded in agreement and hugged as much of my huge belly as she could before turning her attention to the baby inside. "Squishy! Be nice to Lexie 'cause Squishy only get one Lexie, an' she best!"

I was even more moved by her actions than I had been a short while ago, so of course, the tears fell freely. LJ saw the tears and arrived at the wrong conclusion, because her face crumpled up immediately and she was about five seconds away from sobbing, so I immediately scooped her up in a hug and spoke in a gentle tone. "Don't cry, LJ. *hic* These are happy tears. *hic* _Happy tears."_

"Happy tears…" she echoed.

"That's right." I nodded. "I'll be *hic* okay."

"Good." LJ gave my hand a gentle squeeze before giving my belly a few gentle pats. "Be good, Squishy." She kissed my bump affectionately. "Love to you."

She wandered off to go play with her new toys and dad came over with Kate in tow.

"Are you going to be okay, Alexis?" Dad asked as he helped me to my feet.

"I don't like nesting *hic* anymore. It _sucks. _Ask *hic* me that question again when *hic* the hiccups are gone."

"Will do."

Kate stepped in. "Are you going to Ashley's?"

"Yes, *hic* I am." I told her with a slight wince as Squishy kicked my spleen. "I'll be back l-*hic*later."

"Okay. Just call us if you stay the night."

"I *hic* will."

I started to leave, but dad held out my gift box to me. "At least take this with you and open it when you have time." The box in question was shaped like a funny alien, complete with googley eyes, striped horns and a crazy mouth. Leave it to dad to know that monsters and aliens are right up my alley. "I think you'll like what's inside."

I nodded and bid him, Kate and LJ and rode the elevator down to the basement. Once I was sitting in my car and had my things in the passenger seat, I picked up my phone and dialed Ashley's number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello, love." My boyfriend greeted me warmly. "I was just about to call you. What's up?"

"Are you *hic* busy?" I asked.

"No, actually. Why?"

I was near tears again because the baby was still hiccupping. "Because _Simone _won't *hic* stop hiccupping," The baby gave me a particularly hard kick. _"Or_ kicking, *hic* _and now I have _*hic*_ hiccups, too, _*hic* _and I'm being driven _*hic*_ insane!"_

"Oh, so the baby is _Simone,_ today, huh?" he teased.

"Be serious! *hic* Is it all right if I come *hic* over?"

"Sure. Do you need something?"

"Yes! *hic* I heard through the grapevine *hic* that massages help."

His tone was full of dry wit as he responded. "You've been talking to Kate and her friends again, huh?"

"It's not *hic* my fault that they have lots of *hic* insight to offer!" I retorted.

"You said a massage?"

"Yes, *hic* I did. I could _really_ use *hic* one and I am _desperate,_ here!"

"Okay, okay. Please calm down, Alexis." He tried to console me upon hearing my voice waver. "I'm here and my parents are out, so we have the house to ourselves."

"That sounds good. *hic* I'm leaving now. See you *hic* in a little while."

I hung up and began the ride out to Astoria to the Kerrigan house. Ashley was waiting for me at the front door, ready to take my purse from me and swap it out for a tall glass of lemonade, which had become my go-to drink of choice during this pregnancy. A little while later, we were upstairs in his room. We looked through the magazines together for awhile, but I grew a little restless because Squishy was still hiccupping, meaning that I was, too.

"Still hasn't stopped, huh?" Ashley asked sympathetically. I just moaned and shook my head miserably. "I'm sorry, babe."

I nodded and moved the magazines off the bed and put them on his bedside table. Going through my bag, I pulled out the Bellybuds and my iPod and put them on top of the magazines. (Those would be used later) Spotting the tub of cocoa butter, I picked it up and tossed it to Ashley, who caught instinctively.

"This is your roundabout way of saying that you want the massage now to help quell your hiccups, isn't it?"

"Damn *hic* straight…"

He shook his head, trying his best not to laugh at my misery and patted the space in front of him. "Come here."

I crawled over gratefully and began the process of my clothes, just as I always do when Ashley gets ready to give me a massage. I tried not to, but I melted completely under his just his touch. Sometime later, he was done and I was blessedly hiccup-free and lying on my back, dressed only in my underwear and one of Ashley's huge t-shirts. I was too hot to wear anything else, and this late summer heat wave was making me very uncomfortable. In attempt to make myself a little cooler—even though the windows were open and the fans were running—I had pulled the hem of the shirt back to expose my whole belly and attached the Bellybuds to it. The baby was moving around happily now as it listed to _Peter Pan_. It was only then that I remembered the package from dad.

"Something on your mind, Lex?" Ashley asked, threading his fingers in mine.

"That package on the floor next to my purse…"

Ashley leaned over and retrieved it for me. "This one that's shaped like a monster?"

I sat up in his lap as he held the gift out to me. He leaned against the headboard, allowing me to lay against him and rest the box on top of my belly, which was now massive enough to double as a little table. Before I could open it, the baby delivered a massive kick to my upper belly, right where the box was positioned. The box would have gone flying if I hadn't caught it in time because the baby's kick was that intense.

"Hey, Squishy!" I complained, holding the box in one hand and giving the fleshy mound a gentle prod with the other. The baby offered me another kick in response. "I know you hate having your personal space invaded—and I don't say I blame you because it's got to be _really_ tight in there—but I need somewhere to put this box to open; it's full of presents from _my_ daddy." I checked the progress of _Peter Pan_ and saw that it was almost done. "If you're a good little baby," I spoke to Squishy again. "We can start on _Treasure Island, _since _Legend of Sleepy Hollow _scared you." The baby stilled immediately, as if considering my offer, and after a few seconds, it just resigned to small fluttery movements. "There's a good baby." I cooed happily to my belly before placing the box down gingerly. When the baby didn't try to kick the box again, I praised my child again. "You're a _very _good baby..."

Ashley laughed and played with my hair absently. "Listen to you, bribing our baby already."

"Hey!" I pretended to be offended. "At least it worked!"

"Okay, you win that one." He laughed again. "How about you open that package now?"

I nodded and opened the package. My heart turned over at the sight of all the little gifts and trinkets my dad had thoughtfully collected, including new charms for my charm bracelet, a gift card to iTunes for fifty dollars, and even a few bags of my favorite candies.

"Hey, what's in there?"

Ashley was pointing to a fancy envelope tucked in between a bag of candy and a little brown teddy bear. Putting the other things aside, I investigated the envelope and squealed happily when I recognized the fancy logo on the envelope.

"Oh, my God!" I squealed happily as I opened the envelope eagerly. "Oh, my God!"

"What is it?" Ashley asked, shaking his head as he tried to get his normal hearing back. "I had no idea that you could squeal in that high of a pitch…"

I leaned back and kissed him on the throat, since I was too lazy to move up a little higher to reach his mouth. "I'm sorry, Ash. I'll try to keep my squeals in normal human hearing range from now on." I gave him the envelope to look at the contents. "Dad just gave me one of the best gifts _ever!"_

"These are certificates," Ashley pulled out two papers and examined them carefully. "To Mandarin Oriental New York? Is that a spa?"

"Yes," I nodded vigorously. "And it's one of the best there is, and _does_ cater to women, but it also caters to _pregnant _women, too. Kate just went with Lanie, Jenny, Madison and Emily a little while ago, and they said it was _amazing…"_

"There are two tickets in here," Ashley observed. "And a note…"

This had my attention at once. "A note? I didn't see one."

Ashley handed me a folded slip of paper. Unfolding it, I recognized Dad's handwriting. Truly curious now, I read the note aloud: _ "' I don't know that much about going to spas, but Kate advised me that since this spa has a maternity package as well as a package for women who aren't expecting, you'd probably enjoy going with Melissa. ~Dad'"_ I clapped my hands excitedly. "That is so _sweet!_ I have to call Missy! We're going to have so much fun, and she's never even _been_ to a spa…"

_Ashley's Point of View_

As my girlfriend went on and on about spas, my phone chimed at me indicating that I had new text from Calvin.

_I'm at Melissa's place right now, and Madison wants to know if you and Alexis want to join us for dinner. Madison is still cooking at the moment (and it's Alfredo Fettuccine) but she said that you two are welcome to come over right now._

This sounded like fun… "Lex," my girlfriend turned at the sound of her name. "Calvin is at Missy's house right now, and he's relaying a message from Madison."

"What would that be?" She asked.

"Madison wants to know if we want to join them for a dinner of Alfredo Fettuccine, and we're welcome to go over there now."

"I'm in. Dinner with our friends and their family sounds like fun. Tell them we'll be there."

I nodded and quickly typed back a response before helping Alexis sit up, since it was proving to be a real struggle.

_We're game. See you in a little while._

It took us awhile to get out the door because Alexis had to pack her things up and stop for a bathroom break, but we were eventually in my Silver Honda Civic and backing down the driveway and heading down the street. When we were sitting at a stoplight, Alexis chuckled.

"Look at us," she said with a smile. "We've survived a breakup, you didn't turn me away when I was so afraid you would, _and_ I'm having a baby. Our relationship is stronger than it's ever been, we're blessed with amazing families and very close friends, and now we're on the way to have dinner with our friends." Alexis laughed again. "We're so…" She stopped to search for the right word.

"Domestic?" I suggested. "We're so domestic?"

"Exactly."

_Ten minutes later_

_Queller house_

_(Astoria, Queens)_

_Alexis' Point of View_

When I rang the doorbell, Nicolas answered and welcomed us in. Just as he took our coats, and Ashley helped me to take off my shoes, Zeke and Moses came barreling into view, thrilled to pieces when they saw us, but were disappointed when LJ wasn't with us. They resigned to giving my belly a gentle pat and leading us by the hands into the kitchen where Madison and Melissa were cooking at the stove. Calvin was sitting at the kitchen table, sketching a new design in his sketchbook. Ashley greeted the Queller sisters but went straight to Calvin and whisked him out of the room, barely letting him have time to grab the sketchbook. Melissa, Madison and I watched them in puzzlement for a second, but I got distracted when Squishy kicked me hard. Madison immediately started fussing at her sister to help me to the table and make sure I was comfortable. Melissa happily obliged, and after fetching me a glass of water with ice, joined me at the table, whereupon I told her all about the package dad had given me, and explained in great detail about the spa certificates.

_Ashley's Point of View_

As soon as Calvin and I were out of the kitchen, I pulled him into the nearest room—Madison's office—and shut the door, but left it open just a crack.

"What's going on, bro?" Calvin asked, clearly confused.

"Calvin, I just got an idea for Alexis."

He raised an eyebrow. "You mean like a surprise?"

"Exactly." I nodded. "It'll be a present."

"What are we going to do?"

"Design a nursery for the baby."

My friend was taken aback by this. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me! Are you in or not? It's not like I can do this by myself, and you're clearly the more artistic one between the two of us."

"I'm in," He assured me. "But Melissa will find out eventually. She'll probably put herself in charge of distracting Alexis with a day…"

A light suddenly clicked on in my brain. "That's perfect because she just got two spa certificates from her dad, and now Alexis wants to take Melissa to the spa with her. The next step is to talk to Mr Castle and Kate about it—and maybe our parents, too—and get Melissa alone."

"Nothing we can't handle." My friend assured me as he held out his bunched fingers. "According to the twins who heard it from LJ, feeding the birds automatically seals every deal."

I laughed and returned the gesture. "Who are you and I to ignore a tradition of those kids, especially if we'll end being related them one day because I married LJ's big sister, and you married the twins' aunt?"

He grinned. "Nicely put, bro."

We fed the birds to seal the whole conversation just as Zeke and Moses came in to inform us that it was time to wash our hands and sit down at the table.

**AN: **Woo! Hooray for fluffy chapters! As always, I will reward you lovely people with gold stars if you didn't OD too badly on it :D

**PS: **The Mandarin Orient New York is a real place, but I'm not affiliated with it in any way, shape or form, so I won't make any money off it. I would love to go, but it costs a super shiny penny to get in :(


	22. Baby Showers and Other Surprises

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to phnxgrl for submitting the 120th review! 120 gold stars for you! This chapter is for my girls who can't seem to get enough of Jenny & LJ. Y'all know who you are :)

**CHAPTER 22: BABY SHOWERS AND OTHER SURPRISES**

So far in the course of my pregnancy, I've done all the things that any expectant mother does when preparing for the arrival of a new baby: I've gone to all of my doctor's appointments and passed each check up with flying colors; there's also all of my Lamaze classes—none of which I've missed—as well as yoga classes with Alexis, Lanie, Jenny and Madison. Those are always fun. I've also been eating right and making sure that I take all of my prenatal vitamins to make sure that the baby and I are healthy. (I've also been keeping tabs on Alexis when Ashley doesn't to make sure that she takes care of herself and her baby, too. She pretends to be annoyed sometimes, but I know that deep down inside, she really does appreciate it) I've also done lots and lots of nesting, and the funny thing about that is that LJ will always be ready to help me—helping me is one of the many was that she is getting herself used to the idea that there will be two babies in the house—and Alexis will help me, too, as does Martha, but Castle gave up a long time ago on trying to keep up with all of the designing, so he tends to just stay out of our way. He has resigned his job to taking care of everybody and making sure we're all fed.

The only thing that I haven't really touched on—even though I'm exactly eight months pregnant—is a baby shower. I asked Alexis if she wanted one, but she said not until after her baby is born, so that way people would know what to get her. I saw the logic in that and respected her choice completely. The subject wasn't brought up again until a few days later when Lanie, Jenny and I were chatting at Madison's baby shower. It turns out that they both had baby showers on the brain, too, and were trying to think of when to have theirs. Emily had been nearby when we were talking about it, and she immediately volunteered to organize a joint baby shower for all three of us. I knew better than to say no to one of the Queller sisters, so I agreed right away. (Emily and Madison are both very determined people, so once they make up their minds to do something, neither one of them will stop until it's done) Lanie also agreed right away, and she later told me in private that she didn't get to have a baby shower when she was pregnant with Jessica Rose, so she was more than happy to share a baby shower with Jenny and me. Speaking of Jenny, she was a little harder to convince. I tried to get her to explain why, but she clammed up about it and wouldn't say a word other than that she agreed to let Emily include her in the baby shower.

I didn't have too much time to worry about her, anyway Ashley and Calvin came to see Castle and I after I came from Madison's house. They had a proposition for us: as a gesture of love and friendship, they asked if they could turn one of the spare rooms upstairs into a nursery for Alexis' baby. Before we could answer, Ashley added that they had run the idea by his parents as well as Calvin's parents and Melissa's sisters and their families. They had all said that they would pay for the supplies and decorations, so long as we were okay with it first. We agreed to it and told the boys that they could start right away. When I asked about how Alexis was going to be kept in the dark, they answered by saying that Melissa had plenty of ideas to remedy that, including sleepovers.

Today is the day of the baby shower, and everything is going great so far. Melissa stopped by this morning to collect Alexis so they could finally use those spa tickets that Castle gave Alexis the other day, and Melissa assured me in private that she would have Alexis occupied all day so the boys could put the finishing touches on the nursery. Castle had told me yesterday that he was going to take LJ to the zoo so she wouldn't be running underfoot, but he was slammed with lots of meetings at the last minute that he couldn't get out of. Ashley and Calvin caught wind of this and told me that LJ could help them, but we just needed to keep her out of the way for awhile.

After seeing that LJ was preoccupied with some toys as the baby shower carried on, I made a bathroom break. On the way back to the living room, however, I was distracted by a quiet sniffling sound. Following the new noise, I walked into the study to see Jenny crying quietly on the couch. As I sat down next to her, I was distinctly reminded of when Lanie had been out of sorts at LJ's adoption party. Jenny saw me next to her and leaned against me when I held my arms out to her.

I held her close and wrapped my arms around her and tried not to let my heart turn to butter when she moved closer to me and wrap her arms around me in return. "What's wrong, Jenny?"

"N-nothing, Caitríona." I raised an eyebrow as Jenny used the Irish version of my name. If usually says something in Irish—her second language—that's usually a surefire sign that something's up. "Nothing's wrong…"

"No, there's something up. You just used the Irish version of my name. Last time you did that was when you told Lanie and me about your pregnancy. Spill."

"But we're at a baby shower—" she tried to protest, but I cut her off.

"One that you and I are supposed to be enjoying with Lanie because it's _ours!_ Spill!"

"You're not going to leave me alone about this, are you?"

"Nope, not until you told me why you're crying." I reached over and wiped her tears. "It's okay to cry, but I just want to know why. Caring is part of being a friend."

Jenny took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I'm just crying because up until Kevin introduced me to you and the others two years ago, I didn't really have any friends, and I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere, especially since I have four older brothers."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "When Orla, Sinéad, Eva and Shannon—my sisters-in-law—heard that I was thinking about a baby shower, they all jumped on board right away and wanted to do it for me."

"But…?"

Jenny pulled away from me and played with her hair the same way that LJ does when she's trying to stall before telling us about a mess she made. "But I'm not close to them at all. I just see them when our families get together. I feel out of place with them…" Jenny's eyes suddenly twinkled with unheard laughter.

"What is it?" I put my hands on my belly and shifted slightly as Nemo rolled both knees under my palms. "Something is funny. Even Nemo thinks so."

Jenny couldn't stop a smile from escaping. "Yeah, it sort of goes with why I was crying."

"Do tell."

"Now that I'm friends with you, Lanie, Madison and Emily, I have something that I've been looking for since I was a kid: real friends. But," Her happy smile grew wider. "Those friends have become my sisters, and I feel loved. I am overwhelmed by love, and that's never happened."

I stood up and pulled Jenny to her feet, and that's no easy task since we're both so huge. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze of affection because I knew that she had been talking about Lanie, Emily, Madison and me. "You're right about the sister thing, Jen. Lanie and I have been close for years, and Madison and Emily _already_ sisters, and we adopted you, and you _are_ loved. We may be a strange family, but you will always be loved by us, and you're stuck with us for _life."_

"Really?"

"Oh, yes." I briefly touched my forehead to hers, like I sometimes do with LJ and Alexis. "And if you haven't figured that out by now, you _belong_ in this weird little family of ours. There's a place for everybody."

She spoke with the vulnerability of a child. "You mean that?"

"Always. Are you ready to go back to the party? I'm surprised that Emily hasn't come looking for us yet." Jenny giggled, so she was obviously feeling better. "Yes, let's go before she worries."

We made our way back to the party and sat down on the couch and ignored everybody that fussed at us for being gone. Neither of us got too far in our explanations, anyway, because everything seemed to stand still as LJ clambered up onto the couch and moved towards Jenny.

_Jenny's Point of View_

As LJ climbed up on the couch and moved toward me, I saw that she had a brightly wrapped package in her hands. When she got closer, she put it in my lap.

"What's this, Little One?" I inquired.

"Open, Aunt Jenny." She pointed to the package. "Please to open."

LJ watched me like a baby hawk until I undid the wrapping paper to reveal an adorable plush ladybug, which I immediately cooed over. My goddaughter lifted it out of the wrapping and placed it on my huge belly before looking me square in the eyes. "Missa helped LJ to pick it. We do good?"

Well aware that my insides were turning to mush from the cuteness overload and well aware that every eye in the room was on us, I pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the top of her head. "You and Melissa did perfect. This ladybug is just perfect."

LJ gave me a hug and wiggled out of my arms and knelt down so she was level with my belly. Placing the ladybug in my hands, she turned her attention to the baby. "Hi, my Ladybug. LJ can't wait to see you 'cause you be beau'ful just like Mama Megan and your mama. _My_ mama's beau'ful, but so is _yours._ LJ can't wait to meet her Ladybug."

The baby—who was now going to be known as Ladybug—delivered at hard kick right to the spot where LJ had her hands, and this caused LJ to giggle hysterically and gently scold the baby, reminding her about the importance of being gentle. LJ gave my belly a rub before sliding off the couch and heading towards the stairs where Ashley was waiting for her so she could go upstairs to help with the nursery they were working on for Alexis' baby.

As usual, we could only stare after her in wonder.

_Melissa's Point of View_

After a long day out of shopping and going out to the spa with Alexis, we both left feeling very refreshed and beautiful, after having been pampered for a few hours. Alexis looked very happy and content, but was starting to get tired. (I couldn't say that I blamed her, though. Her baby is very active and somewhat heavy) Just as we were settling into my car so I could start the drive back to SoHo, I received a text from Calvin: _All's clear over here. The party's over, and it's just me, Ashley, Kate, Rick and LJ. I suggest you two come now because LJ is fit to burst with excitement. So am I, now that I think about it, but for different reasons ;) I don't like being away from you for so long. xoxo ~Calvin_

I chuckled at the text, just shaking my head. Alexis noticed. "What's so funny?"

"Calvin's just being silly." I put my phone in my purse and started the car. "You ready to go home?"

"Yes, please." Alexis put her seat belt on and laid against the seat, closing her eyes. "Wake me when we get there."

"Your wish is my command, Alexis."

One car and elevator ride later, we were letting ourselves into the loft. Alexis had slept soundly in the car, but her sleepiness was leaving little by little as we got closer to the loft. Her sleepiness left entirely when Ashley greeted her with a kiss—ironically in the same spot where Calvin and I had had our first kiss—and exclaimed over how beautiful she looked. I stood with Calvin, LJ, Kate and Rick and watched them happily.

_Alexis' Point of View_

Once I remembered that we weren't alone, I looked at my parents, sister and friends and then back at my boyfriend. They were all grinning, like they knew something.

I turned to Ashley and put my hands on my hips. "What's going on, Ashley?"

"We want to show you something upstairs." He took his hand in mine. "Come on."

"What is it?" I asked curiously as my parents walked away and the others came closer. "What do you want to show me?"

Melissa laughed. "Come on, chica! If we told you, that defeats the whole purpose of a surprise!"

I turned to her. "You've been in on it, too?" I looked at the boys and they both looked everywhere but at me. My eyes locked with LJ's and she giggled hysterically under the pressure. "You, too, huh?"

She struggled to keep a straight face. "LJ not say nothing to her Lexie! Poker face on, and Lexie no mess it up." My sister turned to Melissa and held her arms out. "Please to come, too, Missa?"

Melissa picked her up and sat her on her hip. "Si, Chiquita," Melissa said sternly. "You can come, but you can't say _anything_ until one of us lets you, and you have to have your _best_ poker face on. Entiendes? Understand?"

"Si."

LJ promptly clapped both hands over her mouth, realizing that she had already broken Melissa's rule, and just giggled in a muffled tone. After making sure that LJ wouldn't give anything else away, Ashley led me up the stairs with the others behind us. When we got to the hallway, he made me close my eyes and continued to lead me. Putting my complete trust in him, I waited patiently when we stopped and I heard him open a door.

"Can I open my eyes yet, Ashley?"

"Not yet, my love." He answered. "Hang on a second." I felt him pull me into the room. "Okay, now."

Opening my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of the most beautiful nursery I had ever seen. Everything was in that chocolate and blue pattern that I'd spent the most time looking at when I went through the decorating catalogues. It was my favorite because the colors were appealing, and the theme was perfect for a gender-neutral nursery. Upon exploring the room, I saw there was a fully made-up crib, a changing table, a fully lined bookshelf with lots of books and toys, a closet waiting to be filled with clothes, and even a new rocking chair. All that was missing was a baby…

I turned to the others with happy tears falling from my eyes. "You guys did this all for the baby?" My hands rested on my belly as Squishy moved in reaction to my faster heartbeat. "Th-thank you, _so _much!"

Ashley came over and pulled me close so he could successfully plant a kiss on my lips. "You are _so_ welcome." He wiped my tears away and began to explain a few things. "Melissa helped with us with ideas, and your dad helped us move the furniture, but Calvin and I did the rest, and we recruited LJ in the process so she wouldn't be bored to tears during the baby shower."

I stood on my tiptoes to give him another kiss. "Thanks again, babe."

Walking over to Calvin, I smiled at him and held his hands for a second. "Thank you, as well, Calvin. I really can't tell you how much this means to me."

I turned to Melissa and just gave her a hug, because I was at a complete loss for words for what to say to her. She is truly amazing, and she always goes above and beyond the call of duty, something my old friends never did. Melissa understood completely and hugged me back.

Pulling away from her, I looked at LJ, who still had her hands over her mouth, in keeping with her promise to Melissa. The poor kid was fit to burst with excitement and I could see her body shaking in pure joy, so I gave her a gentle backrub.

"Breathe, LJ." I coached. "Just breathe."

LJ removed her hands and caught her breath before speaking.

"Surprise, Lexie! LJ, Ashy, and Calvin maked a nur-ser-y for Squishy!" I laughed as my little sister slowed down and emphasized each syllable of 'nursery' so she didn't mess it up like she usually does. "Like it?"

I touched my fingertip to her nose and she giggled hysterically for the hundredth time since Melissa and I came home.

"Do I _like_ it? Little Sis, I _love_ it."

**AN: **I thought we could all use lots of fluff and rainbows after such an extraordinary and shocking finale! Just because I'm feeling generous: gold stars for everybody :D (just this once, though :P)


	23. More Than Blessed

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This is for the real life Baby Bird :)

**CHAPTER 23: MEMORIES**

A few days after the baby showers, Martha stopped by for an evening visit. She usually stops by during the day to see the girls, too, but at this time of night—nine-thirty—LJ had been sound asleep for a few hours, and Alexis had just called, saying that she was going to be staying the night at Melissa's house again. Since Martha chose this time to come for a visit, I realized that she had to be on a mission of some sort.

"Hello, Martha." I greeted the older woman as she entered the loft. "What brings you here at this time of night?"

"There's something I need to show you and Richard." She set her bag down on the couch and proceeded to the liquor cabinet to pour herself a drink. "Where is he?"

"I'm right here." We turned and saw the man in question emerge from his study with a slightly confused look on his face. "What are you doing here, mother? Is something wrong?"

"No, my boy." Martha shook her head and picked up her glass of wine and gestured for us to follow her to the couch. "I was just explaining to Kate that I found something that I want to show the both of you, and it can't really wait."

We were all seated on the couch now and I saw the extremely curious look in Castle's eyes, so I let him voice what we were both thinking.

"What did you want to show us?"

Martha gave her glass to her son to hold so she could look in her purse for something. Eventually producing her weekly planner, she rifled through the pages before extracting an old photograph.

"This is what I wanted to show you two. I forgot about it until I was looking through some old photos just now."

She swapped her wineglass for the photo and sat back to let us investigate the photo. In the middle of a photograph stood a little girl with long chocolate brown hair and a tanned complexion, dressed in a bright green sundress and classic black Chuck Taylor Converses, laughing hysterically with her hands clapped over her mouth, as if she was trying to stifle the noise. An older boy, dressed in jeans, a white muscle t-shirt, leather jacket and sneakers, was kneeling on one knee before the girl, presenting her with a bouquet of paper flowers.

The background of the photo showed that the kids were in a toy shop or something along those lines. The little girl looked like she had been crying right before the photo had been taken, but all the tears were gone now, and even though she was little and this boy was older than her, there was the kind of love and joy in their eyes that made it seem like they had eyes only for each other, and they were the only people in the whole world.

All of the pieces fell into place for me at the same time and I began to cry as I turned to Castle.

"Baby," I whispered to him, threading my fingers in his. "That little girl in the photo…she's _me…_I remember that day now."

Castle's reply was in a dazed tone. "If that little girl is you, that means that the boy is _me."_

I looked over at Martha, who was watching us with an amused expression. "Turn the photo over. I think you'll like what it says."

I did as I was told and took the picture from Castle so I could read the back. I tried to read it, but couldn't because my vision was immediately blurred with tears when I saw the handwriting. My boyfriend was alarmed by my tears and pulled me onto his lap, not minding a bit that I was bigger and heavier because of all my baby weight.

"What is it, Kate?" he asked, wiping away my tears, even though they kept falling faster and faster. "Please tell me."

"That's my mother's handwriting." My voice trembled. "It's just been a long time since I've seen it." The baby started moving as I pressed closer to him, seeking comfort. "I didn't mean to start crying like that. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." He spoke gently. "It's understandable."

Martha jumped in at this point. "You really _should_ see what the back of the picture, darling."

I looked back at the words again and my heart sped up: _Katie and Rick—June 17__th__, 1980—Drake's Magic Shop._

I turned to Castle. "Does that what I think it says?"

He nodded, sporting the dazed look from earlier. "It does. This all means that we've met before in Drake's Magic Shop, when we were kids."

"Other than the obvious," Martha chimed in. "What happened there to make you two so shocked?"

"We had a case there last year." I told her. "We became a little closer as friends after that case."

I looked back at the picture, tracing over my younger circle self with my eyes. "I remember that day because mom decided to take a day off from work and treat me to a girl's day out. I even got to miss school." I traced the image with my eyes again. "Mom said that we could do anything that I wanted to."

Martha put the pieces together. "And you wanted to go to the magic shop."

"Bingo." I nodded. "My grandfather had just passed away and he taught me most of the magic tricks that he knew. He called me his little protégé. As a little girl missing her grandfather, I saw a trip to the magic shop as a way to fill the void." I moved off Castle's lap and sat on the couch again as the baby wiggled around inside me, trying to get more room. "Mom and I were having the time of our lives at the shop, especially since it was _her_ dad who we were remembering."

"What happened that made you cry?"

"These older kids came and started picking on me, saying that little girls like me shouldn't be in a magic shop because I'd mess everything up." I smiled at the next memory. "They were all so much bigger than I was, and it took all of my self-control not to slug them. I ran away to hide where they couldn't find me."

Castle chuckled. "Why does it not surprise me that you were the kind of kid who didn't seem to have a fear gene?"

"Because you know me so well." I kissed his wrist lovingly before continuing. "I don't remember where I hid, but I do remember my mom finding me a little while later, armed with lots of toys, saying that I could have anything I wanted. I turned her offer down because even at that age, I believed that affection couldn't be bought."

"What happened after that?" Castle asked.

I laughed. "That's when you appeared out of nowhere. I was seven at the time, but I remember being completely drawn in by your eyes…and your charm."

Castle smirked and made a little fist pump. "I always knew you couldn't resist my charm."

Martha laughed as I playfully socked her son in the arm and I shushed him. "You were so nice to me and I guess I was in awe that there was a big kid who could be nice to me after I had just been treated like dirt. I was still crying, and I guess you took it upon yourself to make me happy."

"I remember that." Martha mused. "Richard did all sorts of things to make you laugh, and it finally worked when made a show of looking for something in his sleeve and pulled out the flowers. I thought it was the cutest thing, especially since Richard was fourteen and this little girl he obviously had a soft spot for was still in elementary school."

A new thought suddenly struck me. "Who took the picture? I know that's my mom's handwriting, but I'm still wondering who the photographer was."

"Johanna did." Martha answered. "She took it and gave it to me later."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You knew my mom?"

"Briefly." The older woman sighed. "I lost contact with her after that picture was taken."

"When did you find out that she…died?"

"I found out a few days later, when I saw her obituary in the _Ledger._ I was out of the country at the time of the funeral, otherwise I would have gone. Martha wiped a stray tear. "Since I couldn't make it, I've been returning to her headstone once a month, every year since then to leave a bouquet of lilies—what is it, Kate?"

I had started crying again as more pieces of the puzzle were falling into place again. Martha got up and moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around me in a motherly hug.

I couldn't speak until I had taken a few deep breaths. "The day after LJ freaked out on me, I went to go talk to my dad about all the events going on in my life at that point, and we ended up visiting my mom." I explained, fiddling with my necklace. "I had a bouquet of lilies for her and I was about to put them down when I saw that someone had already left their own bouquet."

"That was me." Martha realized. "I had already been there and must have just missed you and your dad."

"Is there any particular reason that you chose to bring lilies for my mom?"

"I didn't really know Johanna long enough to know what her favorite flower was," the older woman confessed. "But she struck me as an elegant lady. I didn't find out until later that among many things, lilies represent elegance."

"My mom was _very_ elegant, and I always adored that about her." I looked Martha in the eyes. "You made an excellent choice, though."

"Did I?"

"Oh, yes." I nodded. "Mom's favorite flowers were lilies, and lily was her middle name. I have a tattoo to honor her memory."

Handing the photo to Castle, I rolled back the hem of my shirt so my tattoo was visible. Instead of seeing the picture right away, everything was distorted because the baby's knees and elbows were bunched together in that exact spot. After a little bit of gentle coaxing and light prodding, the baby changed positions, so its back was to the front of my stomach and everything was clear.

"There we go." I ran a finger over the outline of the flower and the letters of my mom's name. "I got this on the one year anniversary as a promise to be a better person for my own sake and for the sake of everybody around me. I didn't want to go any further down the rabbit hole." I sighed wistfully and pulled my shirt back down over my belly before leaning against Castle for comfort. My heart turned over when he slipped his hands under my shirt and rested his palms flat on top of my huge baby bump. "I _really_ miss my mom right now, and it breaks my heart that Alexis and Lily Joy and my future children will never know her."

Martha clucked sympathetically. "Oh, Kate, it's just like I said on the day you and Richard first told me about the baby: you're a miracle and Johanna's legacy lives on through you. Alexis and LJ will get to know what kind of woman your mother was _because_ they have you as a mother. They're more than blessed that they get to call you mom." She gestured towards my belly where the baby was making me shift uncomfortably as he had a one-sided fight with my spleen. "And even if that child is making you feel uncomfortable right now, as soon as you hold him or her in your arms for the first time and watch them open their eyes, a part of you will know right away that the little bundle of joy in your arms is more than blessed, as well. I know you miss your mom, kiddo, but I'm pretty sure that if she was here right now, she'd be as proud of you as I am."

Overwhelmed by all of the love that Martha had poured out to me as if I was her own baby, I could only squeeze her hand in thanks. If I had stuck around much longer, I'd be in trouble because Nemo was starting to treat my bladder like a trampoline. With a little help from Castle, I got to my feet and made my way to the nearest bathroom.

_Castle's Point of View_

As I watched Kate waddle towards the bathroom, mother cleared her throat.

I looked over at her. "Yes?"

"And just _why,_ Richard Alexander, haven't you asked that amazing lady to be your wife yet?"

I anxiously shifted my weight from one foot the other. "Jim gave me his blessing last year, right before Kate moved in with us—and no, she doesn't know about that—but right now, I'm just waiting for the perfect moment. I'll know it when I see it."

Mother just sighed and shook her head. "Knowing you and how much you love Kate, your proposal will be very sweet and very beautiful."

…Mother was right about that. I still didn't know when I was going to pop the question, but mother was still right…

**AN: **How was that? Gold stars to my reviewers :D


	24. Everything Happens For a Reason

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to castlelover100 for submitting the 130th review! 130 gold stars to you! Oh, and I apologize for the chapter typo in the previous chapter. If my computer was more understanding, I _would_ go back and fix it, but alas: I can't, so I won't.

**CHAPTER 24: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON**

_Alexis' Point of View_

The only thing that I didn't really like about being hugely pregnant in the summertime was the heat. We were being nailed by a very long heat wave, and I couldn't stand it, especially since it was in the high nineties during the day, and hardly got any cooler. Heat like this made it impossible to sleep, and it didn't help matters at all that the baby is becoming increasingly restless whenever I try to sleep. My pregnancy book said that I should be getting in as many naps as I can so I'll be rested by the time the baby comes, but now I was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with my body. The baby is usually in sync with my sleeping schedule, but it hasn't been as of late.

…I should probably talk to Ashley and Emily about it…

But it was on one such night that I found myself unable to sleep a wink, and this time I was frustrated to tears because Squishy wouldn't stop moving, and I was just miserable. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table and saw that it was just after midnight. Dad and Kate would probably already be in bed, since Kate had taken to going to bed around eleven and didn't have any trouble sleeping through the night—lucky her—so I got up and headed downstairs to see if I could fall asleep while watching a movie, or something.

When I got downstairs, I saw that Gram was still here. She had joined us for dinner earlier, and stayed for a talk with my parents. I would've stayed up, too, but I was in desperate need of sleep. Gram was watching some old episodes of _the Incredible Hulk, _but paused it when she saw me and beckoned me to her. Feeling very grateful, I sat down next to next to her and smiled when she wrapped an arm around my shoulder and let me lean against her.

"What's wrong, darling?" she asked. "Why are you crying?"

"Because," I wiped my tears. "The baby won't stop moving and now I'm just _exhausted!"_

"I'm sorry." Gram cooed. "You can stay down here with me until you fall asleep."

"Thank you." I sighed, resting my head on her shoulder. "I just hope it's soon."

"Have you not been sleeping well?"

"Yeah." I muttered and started rubbing my hands over my bulging belly to calm the baby down. I was also hoping that the baby wouldn't choose this time to start hiccupping. "Did this ever happen to you when you were pregnant with dad?"

"Sleepless nights? Yes. Persistent sleepless nights? No. "

"Great." I answered dryly. "The baby probably has insomnia, because I know _I_ don't. I'm sure I would at least be diagnosed with it by now if I am an insomniac." A sudden thought occurred to me and I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and moaned. "This is probably something that the baby inherited from the father…"

"You still don't want to talk about him?"

"No." I said firmly. "The less people know about him, the better."

"Even if it means not knowing anything about his medical history? Do you really want that for your child? To not know?"

I hesitated, knowing that she had a point there. But still…we were better off not knowing.

"Yes." I nodded. "It _is_ what I want because it's all for the best. My child can never know anything about the man who helped with the conception."

"Is he really that terrible, Alexis?"

I shuddered as past memories of Conrad came back. "I'm not entirely sure, but when I first met him, there were a few red flags being raised because he gave me bad vibes."

Gram raised an eyebrow. "And you ignored them? That's not like you."

"I know, Gram, but he was just so nice, and he was the first person to introduce himself to me when I was by myself, several time zones away from Manhattan." I traced the tattoo on my wrist absently. "At least I got my tattoo before I met him…"

"That is a good thing." She nodded. "Why did you turn down his proposal?"

I shook my head, trying to forget memories of the night of Conrad's proposal. "I'm not going to talk about that. It hurts me too much."

"That's fair."

We fell into silence for a minute, but the intensity of my memories of my brief time at Oxford made things hard for me to deal with, so I just broke down crying in Gram's arms.

"I-I loved him once, but I-I stopped loving him because he st-started to s-scare me." I sobbed. "I s-sometimes wish that I had n-never met him, but if I hadn't, th-then I wouldn't be able to g-get to know th-this little one in here." I cradled my belly lovingly. "I love my baby s-so much, but I d-don't know what to th-think about everything th-that happened around…that time."

Gram wiped my tears, not minding at all because she's been doing that for me my whole life. "Well, darling, think about it this way: everything happens for a reason."

I took a few deep breaths and let them out before looking up at her. "You really think that?"

"Always." She gave me a gentle backrub. "If your dad hadn't decided to end the Derrick Storm books, he wouldn't have decided to write the Nikki Heat books, and we wouldn't be blessed with knowing Kate."

"That's true," I agreed. "And LJ wouldn't be half the person that she is. Kate's love changed her…Kate's love changed all of us."

"Exactly." She tapped my nose, the same way that I do with LJ, and I smiled a little bit. "And if none of this had happened, I don't think that you and Ashley would be as close as you are now. Sure, you two would've probably gotten back together, but it would've been a long time coming."

"I'll give you that one…"

Gram tucked a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. "And if it happened, I don't think you and Ashley have the kind of relationship that you do with Melissa and Calvin."

"They're the best friends I've ever had in my whole life."

"And I've never seen you so happy."

"I've never _been_ so happy." I rested her hand on top of the spot where Squishy was turning about pleasantly, as if being awake well past midnight was acceptable. "I guess you're right, Gram: everything _does_ happen for a reason."

"Yes, darling, it does." She placed a motherly kiss on my forehead. "Do you feel better?"

"Yes." I nodded and smiled, finally feeling sleepy now that Squishy was in a state of relaxation and hopefully on the way to the Land of Slumber. "I do."

"I'm glad." She stroked my face gently. "Do you want to watch TV with me? I can just see it in your eyes that you are way too sleepy to go back upstairs."

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Well, good. Just lay your head down," she patted her lap, motioning for me to lay down. "Relax, and think happy thoughts."

As I finally fell asleep to the sound of the Hulk running through the science lab and the feeling of Gram pulling a blanket over me, Gram's words were echoing in my mind.

_Everything happens for a reason._

**AN: **I did this one because I have a little pack of reviewers—y'all know who you are—who just love the Martha scenes I write, so this one is yours :) Gold stars to anybody who understands the _Incredible Hulk _reference ;)


	25. I Didn't Know She Could Do That

**CHAPTER 25: I DIDN'T KNOW SHE COULD DO THAT**

_Kate's Point of View_

In keeping with a conversation that Castle and I had had on the night Alexis announced her pregnancy, we started discussing ideas for her long-term living situation. (I mean, she's going to be turning twenty about a month after the babies are born, and she probably isn't going to want to still be living with us in the next few years) We came to a general agreement to at least approach her with the idea of living on her own within the next two years or so. The only real thing that we couldn't really agree on was _when _we would talk to her about it. (This whole discussion made me realize that I loved Alexis like she came from my own body and I was in a position where I really _was_ her mother…She isn't my flesh and blood, but I _still_ loved her all the same) I wanted to wait until after the babies were born to talk to Alexis about it, because there was something bothering her, but I just couldn't figure it out. Castle, however, wanted to just go ahead and tell her now, to get her ready for the idea.

"Come on, Rick!" I cried. "Alexis is _eight months_ _pregnant,_ and she's spent a lot of her pregnancy stressed out. Something is bothering her."

Castle was a little taken aback by my words. "I know she was stressed out on the day she told us about her baby, she's _still_ stressed out after all this time?" He ran his fingers through his hair as a nervous habit. "She's been doing so _good! _Do you know what's bothering her?"

"No, I don't," I confessed. "But don't you think it would be a good idea to wait? The _last_ thing we need is for her to pass out from stress, _especially_ since she was up late last night."

Castle was silent for a minute, obviously choosing his words carefully. "I still think it would be a good idea to run the idea by her." I heaved a sigh of annoyance and crossed my arms over the top of my mountain of a belly. "We're only _getting her ready_ for the idea." Castle protested. "It's not like we're kicking her out!"

Just as I was about to raise my voice at my boyfriend, a new voice joined the conversation.

"K-kick me out?"

My heart sank to my stomach as we saw Alexis standing at the foot of the stairs, dressed for a day out in the park with her friends. As always, she was dressed as knockout, but now, as she halted in her tracks and pushed her sunglasses back into her hair, we saw her vulnerable side expose itself. She looked scared and huge puppy dog tears were falling down her face.

"No, sweetie." Castle immediately backpedaled, knowing that a pissed off and angry Alexis is more of a threat than I am when I'm angry and extra hormonal. "We're not doing anything of the sort."

He tried to approach her, but Alexis was shaking her head at him and backing up to the front door. "But you _said_ those words! You're my _dad_ and I'm your _daughter._ You're supposed to always love me and take care of me, no matter what I do, _especially _ now." She put her hands on her belly and started to massage it. "And it's not like I'm really so terrible, is it?"

"Of _course_ not, Alexis. You're perfect—"

Alexis cut off her father's sweet talking and yelled at him, crying harder. "No! I am not having this discussion right now, no way!" She checked her watch. "I'm late to meet my friends in the park. Do _not_ follow me!"

Alexis left in such a rage that she was mumbling Spanish curses under her breath and she slammed the door shut behind her. Castle turned to me for help, but my arms were still crossed and I had an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, no." I shook my head at him. "You don't get to come crying to me for help. That stunt you pulled just now, igniting Alexis' temper? You brought that on yourself."

"Kate—"

"No! You are in deep trouble right now and—"

I was cut off by a coughing noise and glanced over at the couch to see LJ curled up in a ball, clutching Olivia and Lieutenant Cuddles to chest, and just completely miserable. She was running a slight fever from a summer cold she caught from Zeke and Moses, and it was putting a damper on her usual delightful spirits.

"Mama?" she called out to me as she coughed some more. "LJ feel icky!"

"Mama will be there in a second!" I reassured her before turning back to Castle, who was still standing by the door. "As it stands right now, you and I are _done_ talking until Alexis comes home and you can apologize to her without either one of you making a huge deal about it."

"Don't you think those terms are reaching a little bit far?"

I shook my head. "Absolutely not! You hurt her and she wins my sympathy card in this case. Those terms are _perfectly_ acceptable, _Richard."_ Another coughing noise could be heard from the couch, quickly followed by the sobs of my little girl's misery. (We're pretty sure that this is LJ's first big cold, so we've been pampering her nonstop) My heart filled up with pity at the sound and I narrowed my eyes at Castle. This caused him to back up out of pure instinct to look for cover. "I'm going to go take care of Lily, and I suggest that you don't cross either one of us. That _includes_ going to follow Alexis!"

Not paying him any more attention, I hurried over to LJ and sat down next to her. She was sitting up and trying to smile, but failing because her discomfort was so obvious, so she just gave up and settled for leaning against me and resting her head on top of my belly.

Reaching over to the side table to the tissue box, I plucked out a tissue and wiped LJ's runny nose. A sure sign that she wasn't herself was that she didn't try to push my hand away like she usually does when I wipe her nose.

"What is it, my little Baby Bird?" I cooed. "Let mama make it better."

"LJ feel icky!" She explained in a sniffly tone. "Nemo make me feel better. Please no go."

"I won't." I whispered, smoothing back her long red hair from her damp forehead. "Nemo and I aren't going anywhere, I promise." The baby chose this moment to kick and LJ felt the movement and smiled faintly. She changed positions to give my belly a loving rub, her way of letting the baby know that she was nearby. I just sat back, feeling relieved that LJ's misery had temporarily taken flight. "We're going to stay right here with you."

"Good." LJ all but croaked as she wrapped both arms around my belly. "Nemo _my_ baby, _my_ buddy." If there was any doubt in my mind about LJ and the baby getting along in the future, it was all gone now. "LJ _need_ her Nemo."

I could only stroke my daughter's hair as she conversed quietly with her little brother or sister, whispering lots of secrets and having a quiet one-sided conversation.

_Ashley's Point of View_

As Calvin, Melissa and I walked through Central Park, we began to wonder where Alexis was. She had agreed to meet us at our favorite fountain so we could go watch a street performance, and out of concern for her advanced stage of pregnancy, each one of us had offered—at separate times—to pick her up from the loft, but she protested, saying that she was _pregnant, _not an _invalid, _so we just left her alone, having already found out the hard way that the August heat puts her on the irritable side of things, _and_ it drives her insane.

But now, it was the designated time to meet at the fountain, and Alexis was nowhere in sight.

"Where could she be?" I asked the others, trying not to sound too desperate. "The park is _huge, _so the least that she could do is _text_ one of us."

Calvin tried to reassure me. "She's around here somewhere, bro. Let's just keep looking."

Melissa was standing in front of us, shaking her head and rolling her eyes, muttering something under her breath in Spanglish. I didn't catch all of it, but I'm pretty sure I heard the word 'morons' in there.

"Seriously, you two!" She cried in exasperation. "What other place in Central Park—besides the Ladies Pavilion and the Ramble—holds significance for all four of us?"

"Bow Bridge…!" Calvin and I echoed in unison as understanding dawned on us at the same time.

"Muy bueno!" Melissa's voice was dripping in sarcasm as she praised us. "Now let's go find Alexis before she becomes sick with heatstroke!"

Calvin and I followed Melissa across the square and over to Bow Bridge, and sure enough, there she was, sitting on a bench and cradling her belly and looking thoughtful while staring into space. It wasn't until we got closer that we realized Alexis was sitting on _the_ bench and it looked like she had been crying. She attempted to put on a brave face and smiled as Melissa and I sat on either side of her and Calvin crouched down in front of us and looked up.

"Hey, guys." Alexis spoke softly, as if she was really tired. "I'm here…I just got turned around…"

"Are you okay, babe?" I asked worriedly.

"You look upset." Calvin noted.

My girlfriend started crying out of the blue and Melissa snapped at us both for making her cry.

Melissa spoke to her best friend in a Mother Hen tone. "What is it, chica?"

Alexis' answer broke my heart. "I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I hardly slept at all last night." She held a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. "I don't think _I'm _an insomniac, but if the baby is, then he inherited it from his dad." Alexis wiped her tears and yawned again. "I was thinking about not coming today because of how tired I feel, but I got into an argument with dad right before I left, so I didn't have any choice but _to_ leave!"

When Alexis was done with her explanation, she leaned against me, completely spent. I held her in my arms and gave her a quick peck on the lips. She leaned in for more, and I felt bad for stopping her because I would do anything to take her pain away, but there is a time and a place for everything…

"We're sorry that you're so miserable." I began as Calvin and Melissa nodded in unison. "Let's just forget watching the performance. If you really don't want to go home, we can all go to my house, and we'll stay with you while you sleep."

My words seemed to have merit to my girlfriend and my heart lightened considerably when she smiled happily. "That sounds like a great idea…"

Calvin stood up and held his hand out. "Let me help you up, Lex."

She shook her head. "Not just yet. I don't have the energy to move right now."

He looked at her curiously. "I know we've already asked, but: are you going to be okay?"

"Yes." Alexis nodded. "It's so damn hot out, but I just want to rest for a minute."

"We can do that right now." I rubbed her outer thigh gently, knowing that she couldn't ever resist it. "We can do that."

Alexis gave a gentle sigh of contentment and closed her eyes. I looked over at the other two and saw Calvin was now sitting next to Melissa and cuddling her the same way I was cuddling Alexis. (The way they were holding each other made me wonder briefly if they have ever done _it,_ no matter how many times they protest they haven't) Even though this particular bench held so many terrible memories for Melissa, I was proud of her as she was able to sit back with complete ease and wait with Calvin until it was time to go.

**AN: **Gold stars to anyone who didn't freak out too badly during all the drama!


	26. Dizzy Spell

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to AR Claire for submitting the 140th review :D 140 gold stars for you!

**CHAPTER 26: DIZZY SPELL**

_Alexis' Point of View_

My friends and I were all sitting on the bench, waiting for me to feel better.

I couldn't help it, but my mind wandered to everything that had happened over the past eight months.

…Going to Oxford, meeting Conrad, the whole drama with the proposal from Conrad, becoming pregnant…

…Mom slapping me in front of my whole family…

…Meeting LJ and learning little nuggets of wisdom from her, like how to love people, even if you're in a storm…

…Reconnecting with Ashley and falling in love with him all over again…

...Learning the rules of being a big sister and prepping for the arrival of another sibling…

…Meeting Melissa and watching her transformation…

…Meeting Calvin and watching him fall in love with Melissa…

…The summer ball and Penny's prophecy…

…Being surprised when Ashley, Calvin, Melissa and LJ presented me with a completed nursery for the baby…

But the most important things I've learned during the pregnancy are: everything happens for a reason; friendship and love are two of the most powerful bonds in the world; and last, but not certainly not least: friends are the family you choose.

...Eight months ago, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have even _had_ any real friends like I do now…

…I am blessed…

A gentle kiss from Ashley brought me back to my senses. "Alexis?"

I smiled back at him, wishing that my hormones didn't want to make me jump his bones. "Yes?"

"We should really get going now." Next to us, Calvin and Melissa were already getting to their feet. "I don't want you and the baby to get sick from heatstroke…"

"No, we don't want that that to happen."

I began to fan myself with my hand. "It's so damn hot. I hate this heat."

"I know." He stood up and tugged on my hand. "Come on, let me help you up."

A sudden dizzy feeling overcame me and I was barely able to shake my head. "No, Ash…"

He became stern with me. "Seriously, Alexis, we have to get moving, _now!"_

I shook my head and leaned forward as I began to see spots in front of me. It was getting hard to see, but I heard Calvin's voice, and it was full of concern. "No, Ashley, she doesn't look like she's doing so well."

Melissa was next to me, rubbing my back gently and trying to get me to focus on her, but it was getting really hard. I stood up to see if I could shake the feeling off, but that was a mistake because the next thing I knew, everything was getting hazy and all I could hear was the voices of my boyfriend and my two best friends crying out in concern.

_Ashley's Point of View_

Just as Alexis stood up, she suddenly stopped talking and she started swaying, as if she was dizzy. I caught her as she fainted clean away in my arms. Trying my best not to feel frantic, I sat down on the ground and held her close.

"Hey, Alexis." I said softly, gently stroking her face, hoping that she'd regain consciousness. "Come on, baby, you have to wake up now. Please wake up."

I wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around me, but I was aware of a crowd of people watching us, all pulling out cell phones to call 911, and Calvin and Melissa, who were both hovering anxiously nearby.

My very pregnant girlfriend was unconscious in my arms in _Central Park._

Dear God: please take care of her and her baby. I couldn't live with myself if anything was seriously wrong.

**AN: **Bwahaha! *rubs hands together evilly* It's super short AND a cliffhanger! Gold stars to my reviewers :D


	27. Ohana

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This one is for my lovely Aayu :) You'll figure out why soon enough :)

**CHAPTER 27: OHANA**

_Ashley's Point of View_

While Calvin, Melissa and I were trying harder and harder not to lose our cool that Alexis and the baby were probably in some kind of danger, a smartly dressed African-American woman broke through the crowd and knelt down beside me.

As she spoke, I noticed that she had an accent, which I immediately placed as Indian. Two of the things that tipped me off to the fact that she might not be from around here were that there was a traditional bindi sticker in between her eyebrows, and that she was speaking with a slight Indian accent. "I'm a midwife," She informed me as she began digging around in her purse for something. "They should be here soon."

"Thank you." I breathed a sigh of relief before turning to my girlfriend a worried glance. "I can't get Alexis to wake up. I think she's fainted from stress, too, because she and her dad just had a big argument earlier today."

The woman produced a small oval shaped object wrapped in plastic and showed it to me. "I have smelling salts here. I always carry some around, in case of emergency." She held them under Alexis' nose and broke them open. "This should wake her up."

My heart went faint with relief when Alexis stirred and opened her eyes, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "What is that God awful smell?"

I hugged her close while Calvin and Melissa just smiled and smoothed back her hair. "Those were smelling salts, Alexis. You passed out."

Her eyes went wide in surprise. "I did? How long was I out?"

Our kind Samaritan spoke up. "Only for a minute or so."

Alexis eyed her curiously. "Who are you?"

The woman introduced herself. "My name is Juliana Singh, and I'm a midwife."

Alexis nodded and her hands flew down to her belly instinctively as she began to prod it gently. A small smile graced her face after a second. "The baby is kicking like mad, so it doesn't look like there's anything wrong, there."

"That's a good thing," Juliana assured Alexis, checking her pulse. "But I'm pretty sure that you have heatstroke, and you're probably dehydrated." Juliana handed Alexis a water bottle from her purse and helped Alexis take a drink. "The ambulance will be here any minute, sweetheart."

Alexis finished her drink and began to cry out of sheer fright as she cradled her belly. "It's so damn hot out here!" She looked up at me. "I don't want to see dad for awhile, Ash. We're all mad at him. _Promise_ me he won't come in to see me."

My heart became heavy at her words. Alexis and her dad are _very_ close, so they must have had a _really_ big fight for her to be this upset. I had no choice to keep her promise. "I promise, Alexis. I'll make sure he doesn't."

"Thank you."

Calvin's voice pulled my attention away. "Ashley, the ambulance is pulling up."

Turning around, I saw that the crowd was parting to let an ambulance through. The paramedics came over with a gurney and started to lift Alexis onto it, but she wouldn't let go of me, so the paramedics let me come with them so I could comfort her and keep her calm. Alexis also wouldn't get onto the ambulance until we were able to thank Juliana for helping out. The last I saw of Calvin and Melissa before the ambulance doors shut was them asking what hospital we were going to so they could meet us there. That little gesture made my heart melt because it really showed just how far we were all willing to go for anybody in this little unorthodox family of ours.

When we got to the hospital, I was separated from Alexis and sent to the waiting room. Alexis didn't want me to leave her, and I sure as hell didn't want to be away from her, but she forced herself to be a big person about it and didn't put up a fuss. When I got to the waiting room, I saw Calvin and Melissa sitting down near the window and joined them.

"How is she, Ashley?" Calvin asked worriedly.

Melissa curled a lock of her long blond hair around a finger. "I don't think you'd be away from your chica so soon, mijo."

"Yeah, well, neither did I. Neither of us wanted to be apart from each other, but she's doing her best to be a big person about it." I sighed. "I'm confident that she's going to be in good hands, especially since I saw Emily in there. She told me that she'd let us know what's happening as soon as possible."

Melissa's response was full of relief. "Okay, good."

Calvin turned to me with an indistinguishable look on his face. "Hey, bro, this means that you're going to have to call Mr Castle or Kate to let them know what's going on." I groaned and hung my head. "It's your responsibility because it isn't mine or Missy's place, and Alexis is _your _girl."

I nodded, the responsibility of having a pregnant girlfriend finally hitting me full in the face for the first time. Doing my best to sound confident, I pulled out my phone and began to dial Mr Castle's number.

_Alexis' Point of View_

After a nurse saw to it that my temperature was lowered and that I was hooked up to a hydration IV and that I was comfortable, I was wheeled into a private room. Taking stock of my surroundings, I saw that I was besides the IV drip, I was hooked up to an oxygen tank with breathing tubes going up my nostrils, and a fetal monitor, as well.

"Oh, Emily." I sighed in relief. "I'm so glad to see you. I've had a terrible day."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." She ran a finger down the side of my face in an affectionate manner. "Ashley is probably calling Kate and your dad—"

I cut her off. "I _don't_ want to see him right now! It's _his _fault that I got so stressed out!"

The machines I was hooked up to started beeping furiously and Emily smoothed my hair back and talked to me in a firm voice. "Alexis, you _can't_ be freaking out right now. This stress is not got good for your baby. You _need_ to calm down _now._ Deep breaths."

I nodded and focused on taking calming breaths, and the beeping noises eventually returned to normal. "Okay." I nodded. "I'm better now."

"Good girl." She praised me. "I know you don't want to talk about your dad, but he's going to have to come down here."

"No!" I shook my head. "He said something that he shouldn't have, and I can't forgive him until he says sorry."

"Okay, fine." Emily's tone of voice suggested that she was about to get cross with me, so I calmed down for the baby's sake. "We won't talk about him right now, but we _do_ need to talk about your condition right now, but before we get to that, I should tell you that Melissa, Ashley and Calvin are in the waiting room."

My heart filled up with love at the thought. "Will you please go get them?"

My doctor nodded. "I can go ask one of the nurses to get them. Just a second."

She stepped out into the hallway and spoke to the nearest nurse. I couldn't see who she was talking to at first, because their backs were turned to me, but I could tell from the person's build that Emily was talking to a man. When he left, I saw his profile and realized that it was her husband, Thomas!

"Was that _Thomas?"_ I asked when she came back in.

"Yes." Emily confirmed. "He works here, too. He's going to go get the others right now." She glanced at the fetal monitor and then at my belly. "How's Squishy? I'll run an ultrasound in a minute to check on him, but I need to know if he's at least moving right now."

I prodded my belly gently and felt my heart turn to butter when I was rewarded with a few strong kicks and punches. "Oh, yes." I smiled up at Emily. "Squishy is punching me and kicking up a storm, saying 'I'm so glad that you're okay, mama.'"

Emily smiled and was about to say something when Ashley, Calvin and Melissa came bounding in. More than happy to see my three best friends, I held my arms out to them for hugs and kisses. It wasn't until after I assured the others that the baby and I weren't in any immediate danger that Emily proceeded to run the ultrasound. There was a collective sigh when we heard Squishy's heartbeat, followed by a further sigh when we saw Squishy moving around as best as he could because given that I was eight months along now, everything was cramped in there, and we could _both_ feel it.

As I wiped the gel off my belly afterwards and Melissa turned the lights back on, I saw that Emily had a serious look on her face. "We need to talk about why you fainted in the park. It was obviously about more than a fight with your dad, I take it."

"Yes." I confessed, as Ashley helped me sit up. "I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I was up past midnight last night. I was frustrated to the point of tears." Ashley opened his mouth to say something to that, but I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he stopped talking immediately so I could continue. "I don't think I'm an insomniac, but there's a possibility that the baby could have inherited it from its father."

Emily was in complete professional mode now as I saw the wheels spinning furiously in her brain. "The baby is staying awake for so long because he can sense that _you_ are still awake. How long has this been going on?"

"Right now, it's been off and on for a week, but…" My voice trailed off as I remembered something from the bleaker parts of my childhood.

"But…?" Emily prompted.

"But I had a lot of sleepless nights after mom left when I was three," I finished. "So this isn't the first time in my life that I've had persistent sleepless nights."

"I see." Emily quickly scribbled something down on her clipboard. "Do you know if there's a history of insomnia in your family?"

"Not per se." I admitted. "Gram said that she had sleepless nights when she was pregnant with dad, but she said that they weren't persistent like mine are."

Poor Ashley couldn't contain himself any longer and just blurted his thoughts out. "Are Alexis and the baby going to be okay? Does one of them have insomnia?"

Emily chuckled lightly at my boyfriend's outburst. "Such cute concern…" She examined the monitors again before looking directly at me. "You have _do _have a little touch of heatstroke, Alexis, but it's not severe enough to the point where anything is wrong with you or Squishy."

"Thank God." I sighed in relief and rested a hand on my belly, not surprised to find the baby moving around restlessly. "What about the insomnia? The baby is very restless right now."

"Moment of truth, Alexis: you are the one with the insomnia."

Unsure of what to feel, my response was short and soft. "Oh…"

Calvin and Melissa both fell quiet, but stood by my bed, as loyal and patient as ever. Ashley gave me a soothing backrub as he spoke to Emily for me.

"Is it severe? Will there be any chance of the baby inheriting it?"

Emily shook her head. "The insomnia isn't severe, but it doesn't look like there's going to be a chance of the baby inheriting it, because we would already know if he is an insomniac."

"Okay." I nodded, realizing that I had probably developed the sleeping disorder all on my own when I was little. "Is this going to be something that I'm going to be dealing with for the rest of my life?"

"Yes, it is."

I sighed. "Will I need to be put on medication?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, you will, but unfortunately, I can't prescribe any until after the baby is born because it wouldn't be good for the baby's development and growth."

My bottom lip trembled as I rubbed my eyes, in an effort not to cry. Melissa, silent as a ghost, came and sat down on my free side and held me close. She didn't have to say anything to let me know what she was thinking: _it's okay to cry._

The tears came like a flood and she held onto me, making soothing noises all the while. Emily waited until I was somewhat calmer before speaking to me again.

"I know there are a million things on your mind right now, Alexis," her tone was sympathetic. "But could you at least tell me one of them?"

I nodded and sat back up, but didn't move away from Melissa. "I'm so _exhausted,_ and all I want to do is _sleep_ for a _long_ time." My tone was almost pleading. "Is there any baby-safe drug you can give me for that?"

"Yes, but there is a hitch to it."

"Of course there is…" I mumbled.

"I'm putting you on bed rest for the week." I opened my mouth to protest, but Emily hurried on. "I'm doing it because you need to be in one spot until your temperature goes down, _and_ if the baby feels that you're lying down, he'll eventually get used to the idea of readjusting to a normal sleeping cycle." She paused to see if I was following her and helped me to lie down. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes." I looked up at her. "Can you _please_ just give me the drugs now? I'm _desperate_ to get some sleep."

"Yes, Alexis." She gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll be right back."

I watched her go before looking back at the others, and I was surprised to see that Ashley was settling into a comfortable reclining chair next to my bed. Turning to the window, I saw Calvin and Melissa making a little nest on the window seat with the blankets Melissa had found in a nearby cupboard.

I was perplexed. "What are you all doing?"

Melissa laughed as she cuddled up to Calvin. "Silly chica. When we were in the park, we all agreed to stay with you while you slept, did we not?"

"You did…"

"So that's what we're going to do." My sister-friend spoke as if it was the most obvious answer. "If we fall asleep, it won't be until after you do." Calvin was nodding behind her, and when I looked at Ashley and saw that he was nodding, too. "To quote one of LJ's favorite films: 'Ohana means family, and family means _nobody _gets left behind.'"

_Kate's Point of View_

_Intensive Care Wing_

Just as Castle and I were entering another hour of silence, Ashley called Castle. My stomach plummeted when I saw Castle's face turn chalky white as he listened to Ashley's words. At the end of the call, he turned to me and informed me that Alexis had fainted in Central Park, probably from heatstroke and sleep deprivation when she was there with Ashley, Melissa and Calvin, and that they were all at Saint Brigid's hospital in downtown Manhattan.

Setting the no-speaking policy aside for the time being, Castle picked LJ up off the couch where she was still curled up in a ball, and we hurried to the hospital as soon as possible. LJ wanted to know what was going on, but telling her that her that her beloved big sister was in the hospital, she made her condition worse by crying and asking why bad things had to happen to Alexis and Squishy. LJ's tears were completely spent by the time we asked around and found out that Alexis was in the intensive care unit on the second floor, and she just stopped talking all together.

We reached Alexis' room just as Emily was coming out of it, and when she saw us, she came over, signaling for us to stop. We followed her request with reluctance.

"What's going on?" Castle asked.

"Ashley said Alexis has _heatstroke?"_ I put in, running my fingers in small circles to comfort my slightly restless baby.

"Yes." Emily spoke in a calming tone. "She does have heatstroke, but we're working on lowering her temperature at the moment." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I diagnosed her with insomnia, too."

Castle and I were both at a loss for words, so we listened to our friend explain to us about the conditions of our oldest daughter's insomnia and how she couldn't be put on proper medication until after she had her baby. That was followed by an explanation of exactly why Alexis was on bed rest for the next seven days.

I found my voice first. "I see that Ashley, Melissa and Calvin are in there with her." The sight of Alexis' three best friends together with her in her room tugged at my heartstrings. "Can we go see her?"

Emily shook her head no. "I'm afraid not, Kate. Alexis was very desperate to get some sleep because her sleeping schedule has been weird lately. She was also very stressed out when she came in," She shifted her gaze to Castle and narrowed her eyes in a dangerous way that Madison had used on me many times in years past. "And I believe _you_ know why."

My boyfriend didn't have too much time to look guilty because LJ chose that moment to start sobbing huge gut-wrenching sobs and complain about how miserable she felt and how all she wanted was to see Alexis and Squishy. My heart broke for my baby girl, and before any of us could comfort her, she threw up all over Castle's shirt and started sobbing more.

Emily quickly herded us into the nearest empty room, clucking at me to not worry about cleaning up the puke on the floor and that she would have a nurse get to it eventually. She pointed us to the bathroom, which was equipped with a shower to clean up in. Once she showed us a cupboard stocked with spare scrubs and pajamas and clean underwear of all sizes, Emily left me to my own devices with my family.

I stripped LJ of her clothes and ran her a shower while Castle dealt with his own dirty clothes. After washing all of the puke off her and giving her a good scrub with a bar of soap, I dried her off and took her out to the main room so Castle could have a turn to clean up.

Seeing that the pajamas from the cupboard had flowers on them, I pointed this out to LJ in an effort to cheer her up. "Look at this, my little Baby Bird. There's flowers on your pajamas. Do you know what kind they are?"

LJ sat up and took the pajamas from me to examine them. "My 'jamas gots daisies on them, mama." She looked up at me with wide eyes and spoke with incredulity. _"LJ wear 'jamas before bedtime?"_

I laughed at her expression and tapped her nose, drawing giggles from her, despite her weakened state. "Yes, you do."

My daughter slid off the bed and stood before me, paying no attention to the fact that she was in just her underwear. "Okay, mama. LJ be _really_ good for you right now."

Realizing that that LJ was tickled by the thought of wearing pajamas in the middle of the day, I helped her get dressed before pulling her back on the bed for a cuddle. Castle emerged from the bathroom at that point and stood next to the bed.

"Is there room for one more on the bed, or are you still mad at me?"

"I don't have it in my heart to be mad at you right now, Rick." I said softly, moving over a little bit. "There's room for you."

He gave me a grin identical to the ones that LJ gave us on her happier days and laid down next to me on the bed. LJ moved over to him and laid on his chest, saying that she didn't want to accidentally hurt Nemo by squishing him. (LJ's love for her unborn sibling never ceased to amaze me) Castle pulled me close and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"I am truly sorry for the things I said today. I promise I'll apologize to Alexis later on, but" He gave me another kiss, this one light and sweet. "I wanted to apologize to _you,_ Kate."

I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "It's okay, baby. I forgive you."

"Thank you."

"Always."

_Alexis' Point of View_

_(Five hours later)_

After waking up from a very long nap and feeling very refreshed, my friends kept me company while I ate a good meal that Ashley had bought me from the cafeteria, so I didn't have to start out my stay in the hospital with eating bad food. I was sad to see them go, and tried not to cry, missing them already.

Once I was alone, I began to think about everything that had happened today, and eventually realized that Kate, LJ and dad were probably in the hospital, too, since Ashley called him earlier.

…But I still wasn't in the mood to talk to dad…

A knock on my door brought me back to reality and I was confused by who I saw there, but was happy nevertheless.

"Juliana, hi!" I greeted her happily as she stood in the doorway with three children, all of whom I assumed were hers. "Please come in."

The woman smiled and came closer to the bed. "My children and I came to check on you."

Her kids—two girls and a boy—came forward, each with a vase of flowers and said hello to me before placing a vase of flowers on my bedside table. I thanked them and looked up to Juliana.

"I don't mean to be rude," I began. "But how did you know I was here?"

"I work here," she explained. "And Emily is my boss."

"What a small world I live in…"

Juliana chuckled, and as she spoke, I noticed that she had a lilting Indian accent. "I agree. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. I was diagnosed with heatstroke and insomnia, but I'm okay." I ran a hand over my belly absently. "The baby will be okay, too."

"That's good to hear. I know what it's like to be eight months pregnant and in a _very_ hot environment."

I raised an eyebrow, interested. "Oh?"

"Yes. During my pregnancies with Sonali, Parvati, and Raja," she gestured to each of her children in turn. "My husband, Jalil and I went back to visit his family in Chennai—that's where my husband is from in India. Shall I tell you a story or two?"

"Yes, please." Sure, it's in my blood to be unable to turn down a bet or a deal that was brought to my attention, but the same thing went for stories, too. "I would _love_ to hear a story."

Juliana sat down in the chair that Ashley had occupied earlier, while Sonali and Parvati quickly pulled up two more chairs to sit in. Their little brother, Raja, who appeared to be about six years old, climbed up on my bed and cuddled up to me, similar to the way LJ does when she's in a lovey-dovey mood. Even though I only just me this boy, my heart filled up with love for him and we turned our full attention to Juliana, who immediately started a story about being hugely pregnant with Sonali and having to attend a wedding in the middle of the summer in Chennai.

I was fascinated, and all the while thankful for friends, old _and_ new.

**AN: **Woo! I introduced another new culture into the story, and I apologize now if I got anything wrong. I did lots of research on India, and I recalled lots of facts I read when I was little. And if you want to pronounce Raja's name correctly, just think of Princess Jasmine's tiger in _Aladdin, _because it's the same thing. Reviews = gold stars :D


	28. Standing Stronger Than Ever

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to zats for the 150th review! 150 gold stars for you! Oh, and special thanks to Aayu for all the help with the Singh family! 200 gold stars for you! Pointer: the word _beta _appears in this chapter, but it's the Hindi word for 'sweetheart,' or something similar in this context. I just thought I should let y'all know so you don't get confused. That is all.

**CHAPTER 28: STANDING STRONGER THAN EVER**

_Alexis' Point of View_

Juliana and her kids stayed with me for over an hour, each of them telling their own stories about different family experiences. I enjoyed their company a great deal and I knew that the whole family was going to be around in my life for many years to come, especially because of her connections to Emily, who would introduce Juliana to Kate—the self-appointed mother hen of our large and unorthodox family—who in turn would adopt the Singhs without a second thought. And since Juliana came to mine and the baby's rescue in the park today, and after hearing all of these stories about her and her family, I didn't want to let them out of my life any time soon.

Besides, it's impossible not to love her kids, Sonali, Parvati and little Raja.

Speaking of Raja, he didn't leave my side once since I let him cuddle with me. He kept one hand plastered to my belly at all times, much like LJ does almost on a daily basis. He was straight out fascinated with my belly and loved the feel of the baby moving under his hands, especially when he talked to Squishy in a language that Juliana identified as Hindi, the language her husband grew up speaking. Raja eventually fell asleep with an arm slung over my belly and his thumb in his mouth. The part that melted my heart the most was that there was a smile of contentment on his face, even as he slept.

"Wow, Alexis." Sonali marveled, accent matching her mother's. "You should consider yourself lucky right now."

"I already consider myself lucky." I answered, absently running my hand through Raja's curly black hair. "But why right now?"

"Because you're the first person outside our family that Raja has opened up to." The sixteen-year-old explained. "Raja is painfully shy, more often than not."

"He mostly keeps to himself." Parvati added.

I looked from the sisters to their mother for an explanation. "What are they talking about? Did something happen to Raja recently?"

Juliana nodded slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. "Raja is Sonali's and Parvati's half-brother." She explained. "I had a falling out with Jalil about a year before Raja was born, and we were temporarily split, with the kids and I living somewhere else, and I made some bad choices that I shouldn't have…" She shuddered at unspoken thought. "Anyway, when I was five months pregnant with Raja, I thought that things were going to be okay, but that all changed when I came home and found the girls on the front porch, locked out of the house that my new boyfriend had bought for us."

"And it was _very_ cold outside because it was the middle of January," Parvati put in. "And there was snow and frost on the ground."

My heart twisted in agony for these people. "What happened after that?"

"There was a notice on the front door from the bank, saying that the house had been repossessed. Up until that that day, I had been naive enough to believe that my boyfriend had been taking care of things, and I found out the hard way that everything had been a lie the whole time."

"Oh, my God." I wrapped an arm around Raja's back and pulled him closer as he moved in response to feeling the baby nudge us both. "If you were five months pregnant with Raja, how old were Sonali and Parvati?"

"Sonali was ten, and Parvati was four."

"We were abandoned." Parvati mumbled. "You're lucky you don't know what it feels like, Lexie."

My heart skipped a beat as I remembered first back to the morning I woke up to find that my mom had left in the night when I was sleeping; and then to the day we met LJ and how mom abandoned both of us in one go.

"Come here, Parvati." I beckoned to her and glanced to her sister. "You, too, Sonali."

Both sisters rose from their chairs and approached my bed. Parvati sat down on my free side while Sonali sat next to her brother and voiced both of their thoughts. "What is it?"

I looked from one sister to the other. "I know what abandonment feels like. I know _exactly_ what it feels like. So does my little sister."

"Really?" both girls chorused.

"Yes." I nodded. "My mom and dad divorced when I was really little, and mom left before I could even say goodbye. She left my little sister, LJ, with us on the same day that we met her, seven months ago. I was three when my mom left, and LJ _is_ three."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Juliana was watching us with great interest, and Sonali was looking at me with awe, but Parvati was looking at me with both awe _and_ admiration.

"Lexie," she directed my face with her hands so I was looking her straight in the eye. "You were _three?_ That's only one year younger than _I_ was, and I'm _ten_ now!"

"Yes, sweetheart." I nodded. "I was only three and I was so upset that I stopped talking for two months."

Parvati's eyes went as wide as saucers at my admission. "But after all this time," she began to trace the outlines of my face with her fingers. "You're still here and you didn't give up?"

"Yes." If I had thought that Parvati's accent had made her cute from the start, her adoration made her even cuter now. "I never _ever_ gave up. Not once."

"Wow." She breathed, regarding me with the same kind of awe that LJ reserves for me, my friends, Ryan and Jenny, and Ashley and his parents. "That's so amazing!" Parvati wrapped her arms around my waist in a hug, and I hugged her back with one arm, since my other was still wrapped around Raja. "You are so strong and I want to be just like you when I grow up so my kids can be strong, too. I love you, Lexie."

My heart turned to mush at her words. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Those are some of the nicest words anyone has ever said to me. Thank you."

I got a mumbled reply of "You're welcome," from her before looking down to see that she had fallen asleep, too. At the other end of my bed, Sonali was wiping her tears, obviously just as touched as her sister was.

"Are you all right, Sonali?"

She nodded as she turned to Juliana. "You should finish the story now, Maa. Alexis is part of the family now, so she should really hear the rest."

"You're right." Juliana looked at me. "Ready to get off the rabbit trail now?"

"Yes." I confirmed. "When did Jalil take you and the kids back?"

"Shortly after I found the kids. We worked everything out." She answered. "After Raja was born, things were good until about a year-and-a-half ago."

"What happened then?"

"Raja was kidnapped and held for ransom by some shady characters his father was affiliated with." Juliana shuddered again. "He was returned to us, obviously, but he's been scarred by his experience, and as a result has become terribly shy."

I looked at the little boy and felt my heart turn to mush again as he cuddled up to me in his sleep, obviously having a pleasant dream. "Why does Raja love pregnant bellies so much?"

Juliana sighed sadly. "Right before he was returned to us, my doctor told me that I can't have any more kids."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you, beta." I didn't know what the last word meant, but in this I guessed something like sweetheart. "When Raja was readjusting to life with us, I was _very_ happy to have him back, but I was still trying to get used to the fact that he's going to my last child. He noticed I was sad and called me on it."

"Did you tell him why?"

"I did," My friend nodded. "And he was sad for me, but made me a promise right then and there."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"My boy promised me that when he grew up, he'd make sure to find the 'perfect girl,' because he made it clear that he wants to marry his _best_ friend and have lots of kids with her so I can love every single one of them and not be sad anymore." Juliana's eyes twinkled merrily. "Those were his words, to a certain extent."

"That's so precious." I wiped a few stray tears. "You are a blessed woman, Juliana."

"And I count my blessings every single day, dear one." She smiled fondly, suddenly looking a lot older than she probably is. "Raja is as attached to you and your baby as he is because he's well aware that he is my last child, so he always trying to make every minute count, and he _loves_ babies in general. He's a cuddler by nature, so all of the affection and cuddles he gives is his way of promising you that he'll do his best to keep an eye out."

I chuckled. "Just wait until he meets my little sister, Lily Joy. She'll give him a good run for his money."

Juliana opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off when there was a knock on my door. Sonali promptly slid off the bed and hurried over to open it to reveal a tall, handsome Indian man dressed in a business suit, and carrying a leather brief case. Putting the pieces together, especially after seeing the way that he greeted Sonali and Juliana, I realized that this new person had to be Jalil.

He extended a hand to me and spoke with an actual Indian accent. "Hello. You must be the girl from the park—Alexis, right?"

"Yes, that's me," I answered, shaking his hand before resuming my hold on Raja. "But how did you know?"

"Juliana called me when she arrived here after leaving the park." Jalil explained, as he cast a glance at Raja and Parvati. "What happened here?"

"I'll tell you later," Juliana told him. "But right now we have to wake the children and take them home so Alexis can rest."

Parvati was easy to wake up because all it took was a gentle nudge from Sonali and promises of a movie when they got home. She was on her feet in a second, completely bought by her big sister's bribe. Raja, however, was a different story. He wouldn't respond to his parents or sisters, so now it was up to me to wake him from his dreams.

"Raja," I cooed sweetly to him, tracing his face with a finger. "Come on! You've gotta wake up now."

The little boy stirred and swatted at my hand, mumbling sleepily. "No, Maa! Five more minutes."

I laughed softly. "I'm not your mother, silly. I'm Alexis." I stroked his face for a second, wondering what it would be like if I ever had to talk sweetly to my own little boy when he was just waking up from a nap. "You have to wake up now so you can go home with your parents and sisters."

At these words, Raja opened his completely and sat up. "Papa is here, too?"

"Why don't you turn around to check?"

Raja did as he was told and his facial expression was just to cute for words when he set his eyes on Jalil, but when he turned back to me, he looked very torn.

"What's the matter, dear little friend?"

"I don't want to leave you and the baby." He ran a finger over my belly absently, making patterns in my hospital gown as tears fell down his face. "Who's going to make sure that the baby doesn't get lonely?"

"Don't you worry about that, little guy." I wiped his tears away while trying to keep my own composure. "The baby won't be lonely at all, and you know what?"

"What?"

His tears had stopped by now, and he was very curious. "What?"

I switched to a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm going to be here for a whole _week._ That's _seven_ whole days!"

I held up seven of my fingers and Raja's eyes grew wide as he touched each one of them as he counted them, processing the information I'd just given him. _"Wow!_ Seven days is a _long_ time!"

"Exactly," I told him. "And maybe if you're good, your mom or dad can bring you back to visit."

Raja's face lit up all over again as he put both of his hands on my belly and looked up at me. "Do you really think so?"

"How about you give the baby one last cuddle so he'll know you're coming back?" I suggested.

Raja nodded dutifully and gave my belly a big hug. Just as I thought he was going to pull away, he placed a gentle kiss right on the spot where the baby was moving around sleepily.

He stood on his knees so he was eye-to-eye with me again. "Lexie?"

"Yes, Raja?"

"M-may I have a kiss, please?"

I laughed, very amused by his obvious crush on me. "Of course you may."

I gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek, and he squealed in delight. (If his complexion had been lighter, I swear that his whole face would be bright red) Raja ran his hand over my belly one last time before giving it a gentle pat and smiling broadly when he felt a noticeable nudge under his hands. With a final "Good bye, Lexie and baby," he slid off the bed and left with his family.

The Singhs had been gone for only five minutes or so when I received more visitors: _my_ family.

Kate ventured in first so she could sit down in the chair that Juliana had been occupying a short while ago. "Are you up for more visitors, Lex?"

"Of course." I nodded.

The words had barely left my mouth when LJ slid out of my arms and clambered up into my bed so she could give me a heartfelt hug.

"You better now, my Lexie?"

"Yes, I am, little sis," I assured her. "But I have to stay in the hospital for awhile."

"Oh." She glanced at my belly briefly. "What about my Squishy? He better now, too?"

"That's right."

"Good." LJ heaved a huge (and visible) sigh of relief and leaned over to talk to the baby. "Hola, my little Squishy. LJ _so_ glad that you an' Lexie okay now, and LJ _so_ sorry about not protectin' you. Please to forgive me? Love to you. Always."

My little sister didn't say anything else, but she did settle for cozying up to me and holding my hand. I looked over at Kate and saw her wipe away some happy tears before gesturing towards dad.

"I think your father has something he wants to say to you."

I looked over at dad and patted the spot next to me on the bed that LJ wasn't occupying. "You can come and sit down, dad. I promise I won't get mad."

Dad came over and sat down. "About everything that happened at the loft: I am truly sorry."

I tried to reassure him. "It's okay, dad."

He shook his head. "No, it's not. I shouldn't have said something that would have made you stress out like that."

"I'm sorry I overreacted. Life is just," the baby gave me a particularly hard kick which caused me to wince, but LJ to giggle. _"Really_ crazy right now."

"I have no doubt, Pumpkin," Dad kissed me on the top of my head and pulled me into the kind of hug that he had given me when I was really little. "But you're doing so well, and I am so _proud_ of you."

I tilted my head at him, trying to figure out what in the world I had done recently to make him proud. "What? You're _proud_ of me? How can you be proud of me after all of the mistakes I made in England?"

"Because you're my _daughter, _Alexis," Dad spoke in a firm voice. "And even though you made all of those _choices,_ it doesn't matter anymore, because you have overcome every single one of the trials life has thrown at you since then, and you're standing stronger than ever. Your baby is going to be is going to be just as strong as you are because of that." He gave me another hug. "Of _course_ I'm proud of you."

I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, dad."

"And Alexis?" I looked up at him. "You and your baby are _always_ welcome at the loft because it's your home, too. Just because you're growing up, that doesn't mean that you can't come home anymore. There's always a place for you, so don't ever forget that." He pushed a lock of my stray hair behind my ear. "Right before you walked into the room, Kate and I were talking about how you'll probably want to be on your own in a _few _years."

I nodded in agreement. "A few years from now sounds like a good idea."

"Great," Kate chimed in. "So long as you don't mind a few more kids underfoot."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Excuse me? Are you having _twins?"_

She laughed. "No, not this time. But who knows? In a few more years, you could be helping your dad and I to keep this one," she gestured to her mountain of a belly that my little brother or sister (hopefully a brother) was growing inside of. "From going crazy at the hands of 'Double Trouble,' and that would mean _all_ hands on deck, but God help us all if they all team up on _us."_

I shook my head and laughed. "And that's going to be just _daily_ life in a family that's _already_ as crazy as ours."

Family: don't ever take yours for granted, because they'll love you no matter what, battle scars and all.

**AN: **Gold stars to anyone who didn't drown in that tidal wave of fluff!


	29. The Best Day Ever

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This is for the real life Pixie :) Feel better soon, darling!

**CHAPTER 29: THE BEST DAY EVER **

_Alexis' Point of View_

My stay in the hospital went very quickly, and it included two more visits from Raja and Juliana. I felt a little sad that Raja kept missing a chance to meet LJ, because I had a good feeling that the two of them would get along very well, but I also had the feeling that Zeke would get jealous as soon as he caught wind of Raja's presence. Knowing Zeke and how he's been in love with my sister since day one, he would readily fight Raja for her, even though Raja is six and Zeke is only three. (Is it too much to wonder about which one of those little boys could be my brother-in-law one day?) I let it go after awhile, telling myself that there is a time and a place for everything.

By now, it was late August, which meant another important thing besides the ending of summer: I'd hit the eight-and-a-half month mark in my pregnancy, and I was _feeling_ it more and more with each passing day. I was also nervous about the actual birthing process, especially since it was going to be a natural birth. I did lots of things to take my mind off my anxiousness, but now, all I wanted to do was stay in one spot with a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Therapy ice cream—God forbid LJ should catch me with _any_ amount of Fossil Fuel—and wait for my due date to approach, seeing as it's just under three weeks away by now. I knew for a fact that Kate was feeling the exact same way because we're both due in the first week of September.

That's why we were both very wary of the look of enthusiasm Gram wore on her face as she entered the loft on one very slow Saturday morning. The fact that she had a few shopping bags in tow didn't ease matters much. She was obviously up to something.

"Good morning, darlings!" Gram chirped happily as she set her bags down by the door so she could properly receive a hug from LJ as she made her way towards the rest of us in the living room. "How are all of you this morning?"

"Restless." Dad answered promptly. "Kate's and Alexis' energy about being in the home stretch has been turning into nervous energy for me."

Kate threw a pillow at him, which made LJ giggle. _"What_ energy? I've never felt so lazy in my _life."_

I nailed him with another pillow. "Yeah, dad. I'm inclined to agree with Kate on this one. Just going up the stairs is hard work these days!"

"I mean the energy it takes for both of you to throw pillows at me and not miss."

"Things can happen—like someone making the wrong kind of comment—that will help me find the energy from _somewhere_ to do something like throwing a pillow at you, love." Kate replied in a cool tone. "And besides: I'm a cop, and having good aim and lightning reflexes is part of the job. That's my excuse."

She looked over at me and I shrugged. "I second what she said, except for the fact that I _fence,_ and that _really_ helps build hand-eye coordination."

Dad threw one of the pillows towards me, but LJ jumped up and in an impressive move, she intercepted it and hugged it to her whole body.

"No, daddy! No throw pillows at Lexie, mama, Squishy an' Nemo!" she informed him with a pout. "Only Lexie an' mama can throw pillows at you!"

"What?" Dad complained. "That's not fair!"

Gram chuckled, having watched the scene with amusement. "Richard Castle, you are complaining to a _three-year-old._ Ever think of that?"

"But mom—"

She shook her head as Kate piped up from her spot next to me on the couch. "Richard _Alexander, _do _not_ make me get on my feet to go over there _just_ to tweak your ear." LJ and I watched in curiosity and amusement as Dad shuddered at Kate's veiled threat. Kate clearly had the upper hand. "Now be a big person and _behave!_ Knowing your mom, she probably has something she wants to tell us, especially since she brought shopping bags in with her…"

We all looked back at Gram, who was sitting in one of the armchairs with LJ in her lap. "Are any of you busy right now?"

"We aren't." Kate answered for her and dad. "I don't know about Alexis, though…"

Four pairs of eyes were suddenly on me. "Surprisingly, no. I'm not busy, either. Why?"

The older woman smiled. "That's good to hear, kiddo, because I need _all_ of you to get your shoes on now."

I was taken aback by her words, as were dad and Kate. LJ spoke up, never-ending curiosity getting the better of her.

"Why we all put shoes on, Gram?" she eyed the shopping bags by the door. "We see things in the bags?"

Gram smiled at her younger granddaughter. "You need to get your shoes on because I have a surprise for you, Alexis and your mama and daddy."

LJ's little body shook with excitement at these words, not needing to hear anymore. She slid off Gram's lap and headed upstairs, chattering to herself in Spanglish about what shoes she was going to wear. That left the rest of us alone with Gram.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Seriously, Gram. What's going on?"

"Why should I ruin the surprise?" Gram said in a knowing tone. "You're really going to like this one, Alexis."

Knowing that it was useless to argue with her, I got to my feet (with dad's help) and went to go find my shoes and purse. By the time I had my things together; LJ was back downstairs with a pair of flip flops on her feet and had also put on her favorite pair of sunglasses. After seeking my approval—which I readily gave to her—we both waited patiently for dad, Kate and Gram to get ready before we all left the loft and headed down to the car garage.

After a fifteen minute ride in dad's SUV, during which LJ almost went insane from not knowing where we were going, I realized that we were on Prospect Street in Tribeca. As dad parked in a parking lot on the side of a brick building, my eyes fell on a emerald green sign, reading _Suspended In Time _in brilliant gold calligraphy. A light of recognition went off in my head as we all got out of the car and headed around the corner of the building to the entrance.

"I know where we are!" I spoke excitedly to Gram. "Calvin's dad owns this place! It's his photography studio."

Her eyes twinkled. "Surprise, Alexis."

Dad and Kate were talking excitedly a few feet ahead of us, but LJ was walking next to me, and she spoke, tugging on my hand. "Lexie, what's phot-a-graffee?"

I laughed as she stumbled over the big word and corrected her. "You mean 'photography,' little sis. That's the right word."

LJ shrugged as we arrived at the entrance and walked through while dad held open the doors for us. "Yeah, that. What does it mean?"

"It means that we get to have our pictures taken!"

My little sister's face lit up and she clapped her hands together, squealing happily. "LJ _loves_ pictures!"

LJ stayed as plastered to my side as soon as we all entered the lobby, holding onto my hand tightly, and she was suddenly very quiet. I couldn't say I blamed her because I'd feel the same way if I was in her shoes, because everything was very bright and colorful, and the walls were decorated with beautiful portraits that Calvin's dad had taken. To a little kid like LJ, it could all seem a little overwhelming. A kid-sized table, complete with kid-sized furniture, crayons and coloring pages stood in the corner. I coaxed her to let go of me and check out it out before sitting in the empty chair next to dad.

"Do you have any idea what we're going here?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No."

"Well, I think it's safe to say that we can finally ask Martha." Kate chimed in. "Here she comes now."

We looked up to see Gram come to stand in front of us. "I suppose you'd all want to know why we're in down here in Tribeca, don't you?"

"Yes." We chorused.

"Well, I heard somewhere that this place," she gestured towards our surroundings. "Is the best place around here for family photography, and the owner specializes in maternity packages that are family friendly. I thought that you all might want _one_ more surprise before the babies come."

Dad and Kate thanked her right away, but my eyes became misty as I started to feel the same kind of emotions that I hadn't felt since Mother's Day and the days leading up to it. Gram noticed and stooped down so we were eyelevel with each other.

"What is it, Alexis?" she wiped my tears. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm always so overwhelmed by the love that my _own_ family has been pouring out to me, even though this baby wasn't made in the ideal circumstances, I've been treated as if it this was all perfectly acceptable, even though most of society tends to look down on pregnant teenagers. I know I've been loved for my whole life, and when I was still growing inside mom, but this is a brand new for me." I kept one hand on my belly while the baby moved gently, as if trying to comfort me. "I don't understand how Kate can love the way she does, especially if I'm not even her own baby. I didn't do anything to deserve it. I'm not in school at the moment, I'm almost twenty, and I _have_ been engaged! And despite all of that, I've still been treated the same way that she, Lanie, Jenny and Madison have been since Day One! I've been treated like I belong in their circle of friends, even though Kate treats me like a daughter when I'm only old enough to be hers or Lanie's, Jenny's or Madison's little sister." I squirmed uncomfortably as Squishy suddenly decided to do the splits. "I just don't feel _worthy_ of being loved like that."

Gram pulled me to my feet and held me close in a hug, making soothing noises. She was at a loss for proper words, but Kate wasn't. She gently pried me away from Gram and held me so we were facing each other, and so she had her hands in the small of my back, supporting me. My tears stopped all together when I realized we were close enough for our bellies to be touching, and that the weird feeling just above my navel was my little brother or sister moving against me.

"Now you listen to me, Alexis Katherine." Kate spoke in a motherly tone. "I treat you that way because I have _always_ thought of you as a close friend, even in the early days, and you're way more mature than most nineteen-year-olds I know, but over time, and _especially_ in the time right before your dad and I finally got our feelings for each other out in the open, I started thinking of you as a daughter and I started loving you that way. Age is just a number, sweetheart, and I could _never_ stop loving you, no matter how old you are. Do you understand my words?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Good girl." She placed a kiss on my forehead. "Blood relation doesn't matter in this family, Lex, so I will always love you like you came from _my_ body," Kate made shushing noises as my tears started up again. "It's just like I told Jenny once: you're stuck with us for life, but in your case, it doesn't matter if you're my daughter or not. After all of the rough things you've been through in your childhood, you _deserve_ to be loved like this, and Lanie, Jenny, Madison, and even Emily, and I are _all_ more than happy to show you what it's like."

"You really mean all that, Kate?" I whispered, finally seeing and accepting her as my mother for the first time.

"Every word." Kate smiled at me, wiping the remainder of my tears.

"That makes my heart happy…" My voice trailed off as a new thought popped into my head, causing a wicked grin to appear on my face.

"I know that look _very_ well, Alexis." Kate laughed. "What are you thinking?"

"I was just thinking that if that's the way things are, then why aren't you and dad _married_ yet?"

"That's a good question, actually…"

We both drew apart and looked at dad, with eyebrows raised and arms crossed over our bellies. Dad looked a little creeped out that we had ganged up on him wordlessly at the same time, and could only manage a half stuttered response before a new person walked up to us at the same time LJ wandered over.

The new person was a Caucasian man, who was a little taller than dad and spoke with a lilting Irish accent. His whole body shape and the fiery red hair were huge giveaways that this was Calvin's dad.

He greeted Gram with a hug.

"Hello, Martha." Calvin's dad spoke to her good-naturedly. "Is this your family?"

"Yes!" Gram sounded very proud of us as she gestured towards each of us in turn. "This is my son, Richard, and his partner—but hopefully my soon-to-be daughter-in-law—Kate," LJ and I giggled as Kate turned beet red. "And these two lovely girls are my granddaughters, Alexis and LJ." Gram turned to the rest of us. "Everybody, this is Rafferty, the studio owner."

"Hello, everybody." His smile grew when he saw me. "Calvin comes home with stories of the adventures he had that day with you, Ashley and Melissa, and he shares them—as well as the pictures he takes—with his mother and me. It's nice to finally be able to meet you in person."

LJ toddled up to Rafferty and spoke to him in the same way she had spoken to Madison at their first encounter. "You look a _lot_ like my Missa's Calvin. Is you Calvin's daddy?"

"Yes, LJ. I _am_ Calvin's daddy." Rafferty smiled. "Do you know why you're here with your family?"

"Yes!" LJ nodded enthusiastically. "My Lexie say that this place is a phot-a-graffee studio, and we gon' take pictures."

"That's _exactly_ what it means."

LJ clapped her hands excitedly and looked back at dad. "Please to go now, daddy? _Please?"_

Dad laughed and picked her up so she wouldn't run away. "Chill out, baby angel." LJ huffed and crossed her arms. "We don't even know what kind of pictures we're _doing_ yet."

We all looked over to Rafferty for an answer as he got to his feet. "Martha didn't tell you yet?"

"No." Dad, Kate and I chorused as LJ just shook her head.

"Well," Rafferty chuckled. "That means you're all in for a real treat, then. Martha has signed all of you up for the finger paint package."

I felt my face light up at the idea and I didn't have to look at LJ to know that she was just as excited as me. "We're going to us _finger paint_ in the pictures?" Glancing over at dad and Kate, I saw that they were both perplexed and intrigued, especially Kate. "How does that work?"

Dad spoke up. "I've done photo shoots before, but never any with _finger paint…"_

From her perch in dad's arms, LJ clapped her hands excitedly. "Please to go now, daddy?" One of LJ's biggest weaknesses is that she _loves_ to get dirty. "LJ be _really_ good now!"

We all laughed at her and followed Rafferty to the changing rooms, whereupon Gram distributed her shopping bags from earlier. Once inside my dressing room, I sat down on the bench, I opened the bag and pulled out a white button down maternity blouse and a pair of black maternity yoga pants. The best part was that both articles of clothing fit perfectly because Gram had remembered my sizes, even though my whole physique was different than what it normally is because of the weight I'd put on during the course of my pregnancy.

I had barely left the dressing room when I heard a familiar voice call my name. "Alexis?"

Turning, I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw Ashley standing there, also dressed in a white shirt and black pants. I ran up to him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him.

"What are you doing here, baby?" I asked happily.

"Martha called us—"

"'Us'?" I echoed.

Two more familiar voices chimed in. "Us."

Looking behind Ashley, I saw Calvin and Melissa walking around the corner to come stand next to us.

"What's going on, here?" I asked, curiously.

Ashley started explaining again. "Martha called us and asked us to come down because you're doing a family photo shoot."

"And if there's anyone who understands what it's like to be part of a large unconventional family where love is the glue that keeps everyone together, it's her." Calvin put in.

"All four of us," As Melissa gestured everyone in the circle, I noticed that she and Calvin were also wearing white shirts and black pants. "Are the strangest familia I've ever been part of, but it works."

"Exactly." Ashley nodded and kissed me on the forehead. "We won't be in the first session because Martha booked a separate one for us."

"Okay." I processed his words. "Does this mean that _we _get to use finger paint, too."

There was a mischievous glint in Melissa's eyes as she responded. "I hope so, mija…"

The look in Melissa's eyes made us all shudder because between the four of us, she's around little kids the most, so all of that energy makes her _very_ mischievous, so there's no question about it that she loves to pull pranks. (The really scary parts are that she's and a _master, _and she's so quiet, most people just wouldn't suspect her) We didn't think about it too much because LJ came around the corner, dressed in a white sundress. Her red hair was done up in a French braid and was being secured at the end with a white hair tie.

"Lexie—"she stopped in her tracks when she saw the others, but jumped up and down in excitement. "Ashy, Missa and Calvin here, too? T'day is _best day ever!"_  
She ran over to Ashley and he picked her up in a hug, which she gladly returned. It always made my heart melt to see my boyfriend and little sister get along so well, but it still made me wonder exactly _why_ they were so close. It's been about a month since the summer ball and since we figured out that Ashley has a secret like the rest of us, but he hasn't said a word about it since.  
Ashley smiled at LJ and gave her an extra cuddle, which made her squeal with delight. "It's going to be a _great_ day." Even though Ashley was happy, there was a kind of sadness in his eyes that I had never seen before. "We're going to use _finger paint, _so it really _will_ be a great day."

LJ glanced at the rest of us and then back at Ashley, rewarding him with a sunny smile. "S'okay, Ashy. Please to not be sad?" She gave him a huge hug while I wondered how she could even tell Ashley was sad. "LJ make sure you always happy. We go now?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes."

Calvin led the way to where the others waiting, with Melissa at his side. Ashley and I trailed behind them, with LJ snuggled up against Ashley's chest, sucking her thumb.

"What was that about, Ash?" I asked. "You're sad about something. Even LJ can see it."

"I'll tell you about it another time, Lex."

"You promise?"

"I do." He told me sincerely. "I'll tell you and Calvin and Melissa at the same time, but, I don't want little ears to hear the unedited version."

I looked at LJ and wondered—for the umpteenth time—about the true gravity of Ashley's secret.

"Okay ." I agreed. "That's fair enough."

My boyfriend breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you, Lex."

All thoughts of our discussion left my mind as soon as we entered because I saw that dad, Kate and Gram were all dressed in white shirts and black pants, too. We were in the room for all of fifteen seconds before LJ spotted the tray of finger paints and slid out of Ashley's arms to make a beeline for them. Ashley and Calvin immediately chased after her and caught her just in time.

Once Rafferty made sure that all of his cameras were ready and waiting, he shot a few formal poses before Calvin turned on the stereo and began to play the Beatles. The music was played to get us all in a happy mood, and I started laughing because Squishy started moving almost instantaneously, leaving me to marvel over just how much he loved music.

As if the music didn't add enough excitement to the air, Rafferty finally let us all have access to the tray of finger paint tubes. LJ was practically delirious with joy because it was time for the part she had been looking forward to the most. I was not surprised in the least when my sister selected the tubes of green and blue paint. I didn't see what the others were choosing, but I chose red and orange paint.

When Rafferty started clicking the camera, it was complete pandemonium as LJ ran around smearing paint on all of us. Rafferty got in lots of shots before Kate, whose hands were covered in bright purple paint, beckoned to LJ and me.

"Yes, mama?" LJ asked as we made our way over to her, careful not to slip on any of the paint on the floor. She slightly out of breath from all the running around she had been doing. "What me an' Lexie do?"

"Nemo is moving around and I think he _really_ wants a picture with his sisters."

LJ's eyes went round with surprise as she looked over at me. "Lexie, Nemo wants picture wif us!"

"That sounds like fun!" I turned to Kate. "What did you have in mind?"

She rolled back her shirt to expose all of her huge belly, most of which was covered in lots of paint. "I was thinking about you two putting your handprints—"

LJ jumped in. "LJ write Nemo's name on your belly?"

Kate smiled down at her. "That sounds like a good idea to me, Baby Bird."

LJ beamed, but then looked torn, so I talked to her. "What's wrong?"

"Don't know how spell my Nemo's name yet…"

"I'll help you, all right?"

"Okay, Lexie." She chirped as she began looking around for more paint. "Where purple? LJ need purple…"

Kate picked up the tube of purple paint that was next to where she was sitting on the floor and motioned for LJ to hold her hands together. "Here you go."

"Tank you, mama." My sister turned to me. "What now?"

I knelt behind her and helped her get the paint all over her palms before approaching Kate's belly, well aware of the camera shutter clicking. "It goes like this, LJ." I spoke patiently as we formed the letters. "N-E-M-O."

"Spells Nemo?" she asked breathlessly, eyes shining with excitement. "We spell Nemo?"

"That's right." I tapped her nose and she laughed when I got orange paint on it. "Now, how about we put our handprints on mama's belly?"

LJ nodded in agreement and after a moment of arranging our hands, Kate helped us to make handprints just underneath Nemo's name. Rafferty a few close up shots before LJ whispered something to him and then repeated her words to dad and me, still whispering.

"What's going on?"

"Me an' Lexie gon' kiss you, mama." LJ explained in a slightly bossy tone. "Need boost firs'. Daddy give LJ boost."

The picture that came out of that shot was definitely going to be framed. Kate was still holding her shirt back to show the new decoration, but she was laughing happily as I knelt one side of her and dad came over and held LJ up on Kate's other side, and we both kissed her just as Rafferty took the shot.

While Rafferty's assistants were prepping a clean space for the photo shoot of my friends and me, Rafferty himself stood by taking a few more pictures. LJ was well aware of this, and that's probably why she took as much finger paint as possible and smeared it all over Ashley, Calvin and Melissa. They decided to play with her, so Ashley wrapped one arm around her waist and turned her upside down, causing her to squeal happily. Calvin and Melissa found some paintbrushes and painted the bottoms of her feet, something LJ found highly amusing.

"Help, Lexie!" my sister squealed happily. "Help me!"

I could only laugh in amusement, especially when Ashley set her down because LJ became very dizzy and her footprints on the white floor looked very uneven. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that the pictures being taken today were truly proof that love is the glue that holds my family together.

Once the second photo shoot started, LJ was disappointed that she had to stay by dad, but wriggled her way back in after about halfway back in. Mom and dad tried to stop her, but LJ stuck her tongue out when Melissa welcomed her with open arms.

We did lots of pictures in the second session, but it was the very last one that went straight to my heart and made the tears fall. Since LJ and I had painted Nemo's name on Kate's belly, she had insisted on getting Melissa to help her print Squishy's name on mine, after which she asked Calvin to help her paint a heart around my navel. The baby moved around in response to all of the noise, causing LJ to giggle and lectured her little nephew (or niece) about the importance of staying still so she could put a purple handprint above the heart without having it messed up. Ashley must have been reading LJ's mind because she praised him in Spanglish for what he did next. Ashley made a green handprint next to hers, while Calvin and Melissa placed one handprint each—a blue one and an orange one—on the other sides of the heart. Rafferty took the picture as LJ held back my shirt so she could examine my belly while Ashley and I shared a passionate kiss, and Calvin and Melissa looked on happily.

It didn't matter that all five of us were covered in lots and lots of finger paint.

Not at all.

What mattered was that this was my family, held together by a special kind of glue, otherwise known as love.

This really _was_ the best day ever.

**AN: **For all of you who like _Law and Order: Special Victims Unit _and are major E/O shippers allow me to recommend 'The Only Thing She Wants,' by my friend ! It's a great read and high on my list of favorites :) Love and gold stars to anyone who checks it out, and more love and gold stars to anyone who checks out _Cherish,_ by another friend, KylieJo. It's one of the best finale fics I've seen yet, and I read all 11 chapters in one go, and I'm eagerly waiting for the next update!


	30. Stand For Love

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout outs to CastleCrazy & Writer200 for the 160th and the 165th reviews! 160 and 165 gold stars to you! By the way, this chapter is for Emily, Kristina, Reiley and Aayu :) Love to you all :)

**CHAPTER 30: STAND FOR LOVE**

_Alexis' Point of View _

In the days following the photo shoot, time seemed to stand still and it drove me insane. I was getting tired easier and I was sleeping more, and both of those things made me feel like a very fat and lazy sloth. One of the only silver linings about being in the last leg of the pregnancy was that Kate was in the last leg, too, so she knew exactly how I was feeling, making her very sympathetic. She was even more sympathetic because the closer we got to our due dates, the worse the strain on my body became. Sure, Kate felt the strain, too, but mine was worse because my baby—who _still _ didn't have a name—was estimated to be just under seven pounds and somewhat long. I'm also a lot younger than Kate, so my body isn't as developed as hers is for pregnancy and childbirth itself. We were both very aware of those facts, and it got to me after awhile. Kate would sit with me and hold me as I cried about it almost daily. Sometimes I would fall asleep in her arms and wake up to find that she had fallen asleep, too. No matter how many times I fell asleep after a crying spell, LJ would be there, talking to the baby or just waiting for me to wake up.

As for Jenny, Lanie and Madison… they were all in the home stretch, too. According to Kate, both Lanie and Jenny were very chipper in general, but Melissa told me that Madison was going stir crazy with nervous energy and everyone in their house was slowly going mad. One thing that Lanie, Jenny and Madison had in common with each other—besides the obvious—was that they were all jealous of Kate and me for still being mostly sane. When I argued that I cried almost daily because I was so anxious, Madison revealed that she and Lanie were both overdue and up for inducing soon, while Jenny admitted that she's chipper because it's her nature, but she wishes that the one week she had left would be done sooner because her baby is as big as mine.

Since I have finally achieved the size of a whale, I don't go out much, unless it's to go out to the doctor's office, like today. Everything checked out fine, same as always, but Emily had a little slip-up. Her head had been up in the clouds about something, so that led her to accidentally confirming that the child I'm carrying is a boy, just like I had always thought. Emily apologized profusely for her mistake, but I let it go because I was just so happy.

I'm going to have a _son!_

_Ashley's Point of View_

At the doctor's appointment today, Emily accidentally told us that Alexis' baby is a boy. I know that Alexis would've been happy either way, but she was flat out _ecstatic_ at Emily's words and forgave her of her mistake. I joined my girlfriend in her joy, but my insides were twisting in agony as past memories came back to haunt me. Alexis picked up on my fear and asked me why I was behaving so strangely, and I could only promise her that I'd tell her later on today. I also promised her that Calvin and Melissa would be there, too, because it wouldn't be fair at all if I left them out. My words seemed to sit well with her because she didn't ask again, and for that, I was very thankful.

The only thing that took my mind off the misery was that after the doctor's appointment, I was going back to the loft with Alexis because tonight was a date night for Kate and Mr Castle—their last one before the babies came—and they wanted to make sure that Alexis had extra help when she was looking after LJ since Martha was occupied with a project at her acting school and wouldn't be around to help. In a state of anxiousness, Kate said that she wouldn't go out unless Calvin and Melissa agreed to help, too. She said that she felt more at ease knowing that they were with us because between both of them and me, it was a given that we wouldn't let anything happen to Alexis and Lily Joy.

So now, Alexis and I were in her building elevator, on the way up to the loft to wait for our friends to arrive for the evening.

A soft thud on the floor of the elevator jolted me out of my thoughts and I jumped out of my skin when I saw that Alexis on her knees, clutching her phone. The look on her face was one of sheer fright, the kind of fright that I had only seen once, back in the spring. Without a second thought, I stopped the elevator and knelt down to check on her.

_Alexis' Point of View_

Vaguely aware of Ashley checking on me, all I could do was pass him my phone so he could see the text that I had just read. It was from the one person on the planet that scared me more than my biological mother: Conrad. I didn't have any trouble remembering what the text said, because nobody could forget words so chilling.

_Guess who? Told you I'd be back. I have my sources, and they tell me that you're enjoying your pregnancy and that you're back together with your ex. Speaking of Ashley, have you ever wondered exactly __why__ he's stuck with you this long? I mean, really: what guy your age would willingly be saddled with a baby, especially one that isn't even theirs…One last word of advice: I don't care about the child that you're carrying, but I would be careful if I were you, and keep your loved ones close, especially that beautiful little sister of yours. ~Conrad_

I wasn't even aware that I was crying _and _shaking until I felt Ashley wrap his arms around me, right there on the floor of the elevator. I was shaking like a tiny puppy, but I felt better as soon as I felt his body against mine because as scared as I was, I knew in the back of my mind that no matter what Conrad did or said, Ashley would _always_ go the extra mile to protect the baby and me.

My boyfriend rested his hands on my belly, drawing patterns on it as I sat in his lap with my head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat. If I concentrated on it enough, maybe I could be calm enough for the baby to stop freaking out on me.

"Come on, Lex." Ashley coaxed. "Talk to me."

I shook my head. "No!"

"Say anything you want right now." He tried again. "I won't judge you. It's okay, and you know I won't judge you."

Feeling reassured by his words, I started venting. "What the hell is going on, Ash? Why the hell does Conrad get off on freaking me out? Who are the people that are reporting to him?" A sickening feeling suddenly ran through my body. "You don't think that Calvin and Melissa…?"

Ashley's response was immediate and firm. "No. Calvin and Melissa are closer than our friends—they're our brother and sister. The bond we have with them and the bond they have with us can't—and won't—be broken for anything, so don't _ever_ think that they would _ever_ betray us."

"Okay…" I breathed, thankful that my heartbeat was finally returning to normal, and that Squishy was starting to calm down.

"What are you thinking about?" he prodded gently.

I turned around to face him and ran my fingers over the outlines of his face, tracing his features.

"Why…" I tried to speak, but my throat became clogged up as I felt the tears well up in my eyes. "Why do you love me? _How_ can you love me? I slept with another guy when you and I were broken up, but I was _drunk_ that night and now I'm carrying _his_ baby!" I wiped my tears away, but continued speaking. "I just don't understand, Ashley. Any other guy would've left me high and dry, but you didn't because you stuck around and you're still here. You didn't have to stay!" He opened his mouth to speak, but I put a finger to his lips to silence him. "And then there's the matter of your parents. How are they so accepting of…_us?_ It just doesn't make any _sense._ How can love me _and _the baby?"

_Ashley's Point of View_

My heart broke as my girlfriend let down her defenses and brought all of her insecurities to the surface, and as I cradled her close to my body, I cursed every person who had ever made Alexis question her trust in people and even the concept of love itself. She was clearly not okay.

"Oh, Alexis." I sighed, showering her temple with kisses. "You're my princess, my beloved, and even before Penny bestowed that prophecy on us, I already knew that I loved you enough to want to marry you sometime within the next few years." I pressed her fingers to my lips and kissed them gently. "I still love you because I _forgave _you for sleeping with Conrad because it was just a one-time thing, and you clearly weren't yourself. I _forgave_ you, and it would take a _lot _more than something like that for me to harbor ill feelings against you. _Please_ tell me you understand _that."_

She thought about it for a minute before whispering her response. "I do."

"Thank you." I breathed a sigh of relief. "My parents are so accepting of out unique situation because something similar happened to my mom when she was pregnant with me."

Alexis looked at me with great curiosity. "Really?"

"Yes, I swear." I answered, nodding. "But that's another story for another day." The baby suddenly moved under our hands, nudging us a few times. "You question how I can love you, as well as the baby, even though it isn't mine?"

"I do." She repeated.

"I love you both because you and the baby are the best things that have ever happened to me in my whole life." I bowed my head and closed my eyes as tears threatened to fall while past memories came rushing back. "You brought me out of a dark place, Alexis Katherine, and being able to love you and _our_ baby, and just knowing that you return my love means the world to me. I love you both more than you could ever know."

Alexis was silent for a moment before I felt her moving away from me and pulling me halfway up, so I was sitting on my knees. When she spoke, her voice was as soft as silk.

"Open your eyes."

I obeyed and saw that her own eyes were bright with tears as she wiped mine away.

"Baby," she whispered. "What happened to you? Please tell me."

"I'm sorry, Alexis," I kissed her fingers again and my heartbeat sped up as she made no effort to hide her sigh of contentment. "I can't tell you now, not here."

"Calvin and Melissa need to be with us?" she guessed.

"Yes." I drew a shuddering breath and slowly let it out, trying to work off my anxiety. "Let me say one last thing about Conrad before we start the elevator up again."

"Go right ahead."

"Forget about him, babe. It's pretty clear that he's been playing you since the beginning, even though we don't know exactly why. A mean, cold person like him doesn't deserve someone who is as beautiful, sweet, warm and _loving_ as you are." I got to my feet and brought Alexis up with me. "I don't what he's doing, or how he even knows about Lily Joy, but I'm pretty sure that all of us—you, me, Calvin and Melissa—can handle whatever he dishes out. We can do it because we're all _family, _and we have an unshakable bond." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Yes, it's been pointed out many times that you and I are part of an unconventional kind of family, but it doesn't matter because we're all bound together by love, and when it really boils down to it, I have always believed that there is no stronger bond than unconditional love. Stand for love, Alexis."

"Stand for love." She echoed and turned her wrist over to reveal her tattoo. "Stand for love because love wins. _Every _time."

"Exactly." I nodded kissed her on the lips and touched my forehead to hers. "So come what will or come what may, Alexis, always remember this: we will stand together, and we will _rise_ above everything that threatens our family because we are _strong."_

She smiled the kind of smile that made me go weak in the knees, leaving me to scramble for concentration as the elevator started up again.

"I couldn't imagine doing anything else, my love."

We took the rest of the ride in silence and almost made it to the front door of the loft that in more silence until Alexis put a hand to my chest and looked me in the eyes.

"I understand that you want to wait until Calvin and Melissa get here to talk about whatever it is you're holding onto," Alexis began. "But we can't tell a word about any of the Conrad business to anybody _else._ The adults in my life still don't know, except your parents. All your parents know that I was engaged and that it didn't last long." She reached up and wiped the reminder of my tears, as well as her own. "Do _you_ understand _my_ words?"

I echoed her words from earlier. "I do."

"Good." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. "Now let's go inside."

_Alexis' Point of View_

Once we got inside the loft and put our things away, we had all of fifteen more seconds before LJ came careening into view, making a beeline for Ashley's arms as he bent down and held his arms out to her. My heart melted once again at the sight of the two of them getting along like that, and I suddenly couldn't wait for my parents to leave. Dad, who was dressed to the nines in a classy black tuxedo, chose that moment to wander over.

"Is everything okay, you two?" he asked in concern.

"Yes." I answered with the calmest and straightest voice possible. "We're fine."

Dad raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Ashley's response was firm. "It's nothing we can't handle ourselves. We can't—and _won't—_talk about it in front of LJ."

From within Ashley's arms, LJ stared dad down in a way that would make Kate proud. "Back _off,_ daddy. Please to back off."

We all looked at my sister in surprise, taken aback by her words and the sheer determination in her voice. The really surprising thing was that she didn't blink or break eye contact the whole time. (It made me remember back to the day we first met LJ because she had stared at mom the same way, and her contempt had been evident, just like it was now) LJ wouldn't let anybody move until dad caved under the pressure.

"Okay, baby angel." He told her. "I'll back off."

Just like that, LJ's demeanor changed back to bouncy and cheerful. "Tank you, daddy." She blew him a kiss. "Love to you."

The doorbell rang before any of us could say anything in response to that, so dad just shook his head and went to let Calvin and Melissa in. When LJ saw them, she gave them both huge hugs and sunny greetings before talking dad into setting up a movie for her on the TV for her. As soon as they were out of earshot, Calvin and Melissa came closer to Ashley and me, pouncing on us.

"What's going on, amigos?" Melissa asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Yeah." Calvin nodded in agreement. "We can tell just by looking at you two that there's something that you want to talk about."

"Yes," Ashley hissed. "And it's _very_ important."

"Why are you hissing?" Melissa asked in a whisper.

"_Because_," I explained, also hissing. "The things we want to tell you two about _cannot_ leave these walls and _none _of the adults can know."

Calvin's voice dropped to an audible whisper. "What? Why?"

"Promise me!" I hissed fiercely. "I can't begin to tell either of you how much is riding on both of you keeping your mouths shut." I glared at Calvin and Melissa both. _"Promise me!"_

They were both surprised by the fierceness in my voice because I'm usually so gentle, so Melissa nudged Calvin in the ribs, so he could answer for both of them.

"We promise, we promise!"

A new voice joined the conversation. "Promise what?"

We turned to see that dad was walking back over to us and was watching us curiously.

"Nothing!" we chorused, grinning like a group of guilty schoolchildren.

Dad was skeptical. "Uh-huh, sure…"

Melissa changed the subject as she looked around the room. "Where is Catalina?"

Dad smiled as Melissa used the Spanish version of Kate's name. "Kate is still upstairs, getting ready."

I suddenly remembered something that dad had mentioned yesterday and beckoned to the others to come in for a group huddle.

"Dad," I spoke in an excited whisper. "Did you get it?"

"Get what?" Ashley asked curiously.

"This." Dad pulled a powder blue Tiffany's box and opened it to reveal a beautifully simple Kate-style five karat diamond engagement ring that I had helped him pick out. "I'm going to propose to Kate later."

My friends congratulated him before my supersonic hearing picked up footsteps near the top of the stairs. I quickly signaled to dad to close the box and put it away. It was out of sight just as Kate came down the stairs, looking absolutely stunning in a navy blue dress. I envied her for a brief second because even though she's nine months pregnant and really showing for it, she has still somehow maintained her goddess figure well enough to wear a very stylish maternity tent dress, and still carry herself with the grace of a movie star.

The envy only lasted for a second, though.

"Wow, mom." I spoke in awe as I greeted her with a hug. "You look amazing."

Ashley, Calvin and Melissa complimented her, too.

"Glamorous."

"Fabulous."

"Magnífico."

LJ had turned herself away from the TV by now to come greet Kate, too, and was looking at her in awe from her perch in Melissa's arms. "Mama looks just like a princess, just like how my Zeke say _I'm_ a princess."

Kate actually blushed red at LJ's compliment and gave her a big kiss. "Thank you, Baby Bird."

"Welcome, mama!"

Kate turned to the rest of us. "I won't kiss the rest of you, but I will say thank you for the lovely compliments."

Dad stepped in at this point and wrapped an arm around Kate's waist. "I'm glad you all approve of Kate's appearance, but," he gave Kate a quick peck on the corner of her mouth, which made her giggle. "If we keep this up, we're going to miss our reservation."

Kate returned dad's kiss before turning back to the rest of us, smiling at the fact that none of us were put off by hers and dad's little displays of affection. "Well, in that case, we better get going." She cast a look at LJ. "Are you going to be a good girl?"

LJ's eyes twinkled merrily. "LJ be perfect for ev'body."

Kate smiled at her youngest daughter's charm. "Okay, sweetheart. Give me one last kiss?"

Still in Melissa's arms, LJ leaned forward and kissed her again.

Dad spoke up. "Listen to Alexis in the others, all right?"

"LJ promise!" she answered cutely. "Please to go wif mama now?"

Dad laughed at LJ's very pointed question. "Yes, LJ, we're going to go now."

After shooing my parents out the door, telling them that we were going to have everything under control, I was expecting her to have a meltdown because she doesn't like being away from dad and Kate that much, but that didn't happen. Instead, she slid out of Melissa's arms and asked all four of us to finish watching the movie with her. We agreed and settled down on the couch with her. About halfway through the movie, LJ complained that she was hungry, so Calvin made her a snack while I got on the phone and ordered two pizzas from our favorite pizza parlor.

When the movie was done, LJ was getting sleepy, so I ran her a bath and got her dressed for bed. I was about to tuck her in, but she put her foot down and wouldn't let me.

"No, Lexie!" she shook her head and sat in the middle of the bed, holding her stuffed animals close to her. "No put LJ to bed!"

I put my hands on my hips and raised my eyebrows in a classic Kate Beckett move. "And why is that?"

"LJ want Ashy."

I blinked in surprise. "How come?"

LJ's eyes twinkled yet again. "Secret."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes!" she clapped her hands together happily. "LJ gots a secret for Ashy!"

"Do you want to tell me what it is?"

My little sister giggled again. "LJ no tell Lexie secret 'cause it's only for Ashy!"

Knowing that Kate's stubbornness had rubbed off on LJ a long time ago, I sighed. "Okay. I'll be right back."

LJ blew me kisses. "Tank you, Lexie!"

Wondering why in the world my little sister wanted one-on-one time with my boyfriend, I headed downstairs and eased myself down on the couch next to Ashley.

"That was quick." He commented.

"LJ is asking for you." I told him.

He was surprised by this. "Do you know why?"

"She has a secret for you, apparently." I gave him a gentle shove to get him to his feet. "Now go! She's waiting for you."

_Ashley's Point of View_

I headed up to LJ's room to find her waiting, face lighting up when she saw me.

"Hi, Ashy!" she chirped happily. "Hi!"

"I just saw you a few minutes ago, silly." I sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. "What's this secret you have?"

She cuddled up against me and rested her head on my chest. "LJ jus' wan' make sure Ashy happy." My heart melted just a little bit at her words. "Why Ashy sad? Makes LJ sad…"

"I'm sorry, LJ. I didn't mean to make you sad." I apologized. "You want to know why I'm sad?"

"Yes."

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and flipped through a few pictures before letting her hold it. "I'm sad because I miss my little brother."

The tiny redhead looked at the picture of my brother and then looked up at me with wide eyes. "Ashy gots brother?"

"I _did." _I corrected her. "He isn't around anymore."

LJ became serious and gave me a huge hug. "Ashy's brother wif the angels? Ashy's brother wif Mama Joey an' Mama Lucy and Papa Elijah?"

"Yes, he is." I answered, trying not to get too choked up.

"What Ashy's brother's name?"

"Tobias."

LJ patted my hand gently as she gave me back my phone. "No worry about Toby, please."

I smiled inwardly as she used a nickname for my brother. "Why do you say that?"

"LJ say that 'cause Toby no be lonely." She explained. "Toby gon' be wif Mama Joey's babies and Jenner, too. They keep Toby company."

I hugged her close, heart overflowing once more with love for this amazing little girl. "Thank you, LJ."

She pressed closer to me, like a kitten. "Welcome, Ashy."

We fell silent for a moment, and as I started wondering how I was going to get her to fall asleep, she spoke again, sleepiness very apparent this time.

"Ashy, how old Toby when he went wif the angels?"

"Tobias was three."

"What h-happen?" A huge yawn punctured her last word. "Why Toby go be wif angels?"

"He got really sick and his body stopped working."

"LJ s-sorry, Ashy." She sympathized through a yawn. "Maybe Toby like Ashy once?"

"Tobias would've _loved_ you." I reassured her.

"G-good." She was getting sleepier. "But LJ no marry Toby 'cause Lexie _still_ gon' marry Ashy. If LJ marry T-Toby," LJ yawned hugely and was struggling to keep her eyes open. "It all be backwards, but ev'thing perfect if Ashy marry my Lexie 'cause LJ _very_ happy when they happy…"

I looked down at her see that she had fallen asleep in midsentence. Picking her up, I pulled back the blankets and laid her down. Securing the blankets over her, I made sure she had her stuffed animals with her and then touched my forehead to hers, sending a prayer up to Heaven, thanking God for sending us all a little angel.

After making sure her nightlight was plugged in, I looked back at the little girl to see that she was sleeping peacefully.

"Sweet dreams, LJ."

When I returned to the living room, my head was swimming with lots of crazy thoughts. LJ could very well be my sister-in-law in the next few years, and she had just given me her permission to marry her sister. I sat down next to Alexis and began to massage her feet when she put them in my lap, still lost in thought.

I was _so_ lost in thought that it took me a minute to realize that Melissa was talking to me.

"Ashley?"

"Ashley!"

"ASHLEY?"

I looked over at my friend. "Yes, Melissa?"

"Alexis was just telling us everything that happened on the elevator, and all of the business about Conrad."

"Why didn't you two say anything earlier?" Calvin chimed in. "We wouldn't have said anything."

"Because we were didn't want to remember," I confessed. "But we need to get it out now, especially since Conrad contacted Alexis again."

"Well, all right." Calvin moved closer to Melissa and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Alexis just told us what happened in the elevator, and at the time that she returned from Oxford, but she said that you have something to tell us?"

"I do." Alexis knew that this was a sensitive topic, so she leaned against me and let me rest a hand on top of her belly. "It has to do with why LJ wanted to talk to me. She wanted to make sure I wasn't sad, so she asked me what's been going on."

"What did you tell her?" Melissa wanted to know.

"I told her I'm sad because I miss my brother."

There was silence in the room as the other three looked at me in surprise.

"A-a brother?" Alexis stammered, taking the phone from me to look at the picture. "You never said you had a brother."

"His name was Tobias and he passed away the year before we met."

She passed the phone to Calvin and Melissa. "What happened to him?"

"Tobias had pneumonia, and his little body couldn't handle it." I fought to keep control of my voice. "He had a pretty severe case, and he didn't last more than two months…"

"He's so young in this picture…" Melissa commented.

"How was he?" Calvin asked gently.

"He was three-and-a-half."

Alexis clucked sympathetically. "This is why you get along so well with LJ, isn't it?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I see her, and I miss my brother, but I also a chance to help her grow into an amazing person, since my parents and I never got that chance with Tobias."

Alexis sat up and spoke to me in a tone that let me know she was choosing her words carefully. "I can't begin to imagine what it's like to go through a loss like that, all though I know that Kate and Lanie could understand it first hand, especially _your_ grief." She held my hands in hers. "Any loss like that is horrific, but the way you're talking, it's as if there's another part to this whole thing that you haven't said yet."

"There is, Lex." I rubbed my eyes in an effort to keep the tears at bay somewhat. "My parents took as much time of work as they could to be with Tobias, but there was some days when they couldn't be there until the evening, and those were the days that I made an extra effort to get down to the hospital as soon as school was done for the day. Tobias was my little buddy, and I moved into his hospital room so I could keep him company."

"What an amazing hermano you were." Melissa praised.

I smiled halfheartedly at her compliment. "Tobias called me Superman, and he told me that his favorite part of the day was when we watched cartoons together, and then there was the last day…"

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, bro." Calvin said seriously.

"No, I have to get this out." Alexis pulled back her shirt to expose her belly as the baby started moving close to the surface, and I reached over to track the movements with the palm of my hand, feeling slightly calmer. "My parents were both working overtime and it was pouring rain outside. I got to the hospital as fast as I could, just to avoid getting soaked. When I got to Toby's room, his nurse told me that his fever had spiked pretty badly and that his body was getting considerably weaker. She said there was nothing to be done for my brother, except lay with him and help him prepare for what we all knew what was coming."

"Easier said than done…" Melissa muttered.

"You're telling me." I pulled Alexis closer to me again, needing to feel her body against mine. "I laid down with him and held him in my arms, and told him everything I could about what Heaven is like. His last words were: "It's okay, Ashley. Do not be scared. I be your Superman." You don't forget words like those from someone so small."

"I should say so." Alexis said softly. "Did Molly and Seamus get there in time?"

"No." I shook my head, tears now falling freely. "They got there five minutes later. That was the worst part. Telling my parents that Tobias had died in my arms was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. My parents and I haven't been the same since, especially because Tobias was their miracle baby, and we _all_ wanted him."

Alexis, who had been quiet for the last few minutes, reentered the conversation at this point. "The loss of your brother is why you take such good care of the baby and me, isn't it?"

"That's exactly why." I sighed and spoke to the three of them at large, wiping my tears. "Well, now you know my secret. I think it's safe to say that we know everything about each other now. Most groups of friends couldn't last this long without having some sort of division because we see each other differently."

"Hey," Calvin chimed in. "We are not like most people, and something tells me that the four of us—and probably the other two people we have yet to meet—are going to be going against the grain for a long, long time."

The rest of us agreed with his words, and we agreed even more when Melissa brought up the idea of watching a movie to clear our heads.

_Melissa's Point of View_

Despite the emotions brought around by the revelation of Ashley's secret, we all calmed down somewhat while watching a movie. However, trouble was stirred up in the first thirty minutes. I had a bathroom break, and when I came back, I found Calvin on the couch, watching Ashley and Alexis, who were having a very heated conversation.

"What's going on, amigos?" I asked in the most authoritative voice possible. After Alexis, I have the ability to command the most authority over my friends. "One of you had better told me right now!"

Alexis shot Ashley a look of contempt before crossing her arms and answering my question. "He asked me why I won't tell him the exact reason _why_ I turned down Conrad's engagement proposal."

I turned to Ashley and narrowed my eyes at him dangerously. "If a girl doesn't want to talk about something like that, then _don't push her!"_

"Melissa," he protested. "Can't you use a girl card in this situation? I'm sure there's a rule in there somewhere about helping a guy friend out in this kind of situation."

"No!" I shook my head. "You have it backwards, mijo! Even if I knew why she turned it down, I wouldn't tell because it's going against _all_ girl code, and it's borderline betrayal!"

Ashley looked to Calvin for help. "Are you going to back me up on this one?"

Calvin shook his hid head. "Absolutely not! I won't be getting involved in this. I won't pick sides, and I know Melissa won't either."

Ashley glanced at me and I shook my head. He sighed and looked back at Alexis, who was about ready to strangle him. She looked ready to yell at him, but didn't because a sound had caught her attention and made her look towards the stairs. We followed her gaze to see a very upset and heartbroken LJ in tears.

_Alexis' Point of View_

My heart plummeted when I saw my baby sister standing at the foot of the stairs in tears and looking devastated. She was probably feeling how I'd felt on the day that I yelled at dad. Shooting another look of contempt at Ashley, I turned my back on him and the others and hurried over to LJ.

Understanding that I couldn't pick her up anymore, she leaned her head against my hip and rubbed my belly as the baby moved against her.

"Lexie, why yellin' at Ashy?" she asked through her tears. "You no love him?"

My heart twisted at her words and I couldn't answer her. I didn't have time to, anyway, because my phone chimed at me, indicating that I had a new text. Telling my friends that I needed some space, I left the loft and went out into the hallway to read my text. LJ, not wanting to be away from me for a minute, followed me. Running my fingers through my sister's hair in a comforting way, I opened the text and read it.

_You better watch your back, Alexis. I'll be seeing you soon. ~Conrad_

I had scarcely processed the words when I felt a heavy object make contact with the back of my head, making me drop my phone as I cried out in pain and fell to my knees. LJ let out a bloodcurdling scream as two masked men towered over us.

"Who the hell are you?" I cried, looking up at them. "Why did you do that?"

They ignored me and had a conversation with each other. One of the men, who was slightly taller, turned to his companion. "Do you have the chloroform?"

The second man pulled a white cloth out of his pocket and held it up. "Right here, boss."

I felt the color drain from my face and winced as the baby gave me a particularly hard kick as my vision became a little blurry. "Chloroform?" I shrieked. "No! Please don't hurt me! Can't you see I'm pregnant?"

The man with the chloroform-soaked cloth squatted down in front of me and spoke in a menacing tone. "We have our orders, Alexis, and if we don't follow through on those orders, we _will _be killed."

I had a feeling that he was going to take me, no matter what happened, so I looked at LJ, who was scared stiff, and decided to try to at least negotiate with him because if I didn't cooperate with him, he'd probably hurt me...or do worse…

He followed my glance and looked at LJ. Before I could stop him, he held the cloth over my little sister's nose, making her go limp and pass out, just in time for me to catch her.

"What the hell?" I yelled again. Horror-stricken, I began to plead with him. "She's just a little girl! Please just leave her alone."

"We have to bring her, too, because she's a witness." He explained. "But I'm feeling nice right now, so I'll let you hold her when we leave."

I tried to fight him, but the next thing I knew, he was holding the cloth against my nose, and my vision was becoming blurrier by the second until all was black.

**AN: **Two gold stars apiece to anyone who is still alive and able to press that little review button down there!


	31. This Is Not Happening

**CHAPTER 31: THIS IS NOT HAPPENING**

_Kate's Point of View_

Castle and I were enjoying a very nice and romantic dinner at Madison's restaurant, the Q3. Ever since I reconnected with her a few months back, my friends and I had always chosen to have all of our special celebrations there, and Castle told her that he was going to have all of his press release parties there. (Madison was thrilled to pieces about that) On mine and Castle's first outing there as a couple, we found out that Ashley's mom, Molly, is the pastry chef. We found that out because she had sent out a plate of truffles au chocolat, as her compliments. (I decided later that day that when Castle and I got married—because even then, I knew it was possible—I knew that I would want Molly to do the desserts) Since Ashley is dating Alexis now, and she and her husband feel the same way about Alexis' baby as Castle and I do, Molly has made a point of becoming friends with me. Despite her family's reputation of being very uptight and stuffy because of their wealth, Molly is a lovely lady and is very warm and loving. (I also en) She's also very down to earth, which is why she found out quickly that I have a huge weakness for chocolate, so when she caught wind of the fact that Castle and I were coming here tonight, she promised to send out a new dessert that she had been working on.

I had been looking forward to the surprise Molly was going to send out, but after the salad course, things began to feel a little bit off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. A sudden sense of dread had settled over my body, and it scared me so much that I shut down in mid-sentence and sat back in my chair, rubbing my belly as the started kicking me. Needless to say, Rick was by my side in an instant.

"What is it, Kate?" he asked, voice and expression both fraught with concern. "Is something wrong with you or the the baby?"

I held his hand to my belly so he could feel the baby's movements, too. "No, Rick. Nemo and I are fine; I can assure you of that."

"Then would you please tell me what's going on?"

The feeling of dread worsened as I looked him in the eye. "I just can't shake this feeling of uncertainty…a sense of dread, almost. I feel like we should check on the girls."

Castle tried to comfort me. "If anything was wrong with Alexis or LJ, Ashley, Melissa or Calvin would've called one of us."

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Kate!" he tried. "They were _all_ shooing us out of the door when we left!"

I tried to talk myself into believing him. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid. They would've called if something was seriously wrong…"

"Exactly." He nodded. "You're being the 'Anxious Mother Hen' again, that's all. They would've called."

The words had hardly left my mouth when my phone started ringing from inside my black sequined clutch. Castle handed it to me and pulled my phone out as quickly as I could. If it was possible, my feeling of dread increased yet again when I saw Ashley's name flash across the screen. I tried to speak in the calmest voice possible.

"Hello, Ashley." I greeted him. "Is everything okay?"

All I got in response to that were the sounds of his tears and the sound of someone taking the phone from him. Melissa started talking, and her voice was wavering.

"Catalina," she sounded like she was trying not to cry. "You and Rick need to come back to la casa. _Now."_

"Why?" I was still trying to remain calm, even though my cop instincts were kicking in. "What happened? Why is Ashley crying?"

"He and Alexis got into a fight about something and accidentally woke LJ up in the process, and then none of them were happy." Melissa's words were going so fast that I had to race to keep up with her heavy Australian accent. "Alexis got a text and went out into the hallway to answer it—and to get some space, and LJ followed her. When Calvin went to check on them a few minutes later, they were gone!" My heart plummeted to the bottom of my stomach at her words, and Nemo kicked hard. I did everything I could to keep my concentration because Melissa was still talking. "When we looked around, all we saw was Alexis' phone on the floor." The teenager burst into tears. "I don't know what happened, and I'm so sorry,Lina! Maybe if we had gone to check on them a little earlier, this wouldn't have happened! I'm sorry!"

"Shh, Melissa." I tried to soothe her as best I could, given the circumstances. "Don't touch anything in the hallway, and _stay with Ashley and Calvin._" I stressed the last part of my statement because sometimes Melissa doesn't process everything she hears. "They need someone to be strong for them, and I _know_ you're perfect for the job. Be strong for them, okay?"

"Okay, Lina." She sobbed. "See you soon?"

"Yes, Missy." I answered, tears falling down my face now. Poor Castle was still by my side, and was very distraught. All I could do was give his hand a squeeze. "We'll be there soon."

Melissa wished me Godspeed and hung up. Castle looked up at me with raised eyebrows, waiting for an explanation. I was about to answer when I felt a sudden twinge in the side of my belly.

"Ouch!" I cried out, putting a hand on that spot.

Castle was quick to respond. "Is it the baby?"

"No. That was a Braxton-Hicks contraction." I massaged the area where the baby was moving around. No longer to maintain my composure, I burst into tears just like Melissa had. "Richard, that was Ashley and Melissa on the phone. Alexis and LJ are missing!"

**AN: **Dun, dun, dun!I'm holding the next chapter hostage until I get lots of nice and shiny reviews, so no chapters or gold stars until then!


	32. Every Parent's Nightmare

**CHAPTER 32: EVERY PARENT'S NIGHTMARE**

_Kate's Point of View_

I don't remember how we left the Q3, but just before we did, Molly came out from the kitchen to check on us.

"How is—what's wrong?" she changed track in midsentence as she came over and saw Castle helping me to my feet.

"It's a family emergency, Molly." I told the older woman as I fought back tears.

"You should come with us." Castle put in, also fighting to keep his emotions in check. "It's about Alexis and LJ."

Molly became even more concerned. "Oh, my God. Let me just get my things and tell Madison."

A new voice joined the conversation. "Tell Madison what?"

We all looked over to see the woman in question waddling towards our table. At eight days overdue, Madison was very cranky and just tired of waiting at home for the baby to come, so she had chosen tonight to come and at least mind the front desk of her restaurant, for lack of nothing better to do at home.

Not being able to talk, I leaned against Castle, with my bulging belly pressing against him. He held me close as he beckoned our friends closer. "Ashley just called Kate and told her that Alexis and LJ are missing."

Molly and Madison paled at his words, and Madison immediately let Molly leave with us. The ride back to the loft was very tense and filled with phone calls to Captain Montgomery, Ryan and Esposito to let them know what was going on. Since our building and the restaurant were both about ten minutes away from the precinct, we arrived at the same time as the CSU team. Castle instructed Molly to help me out of the car before hurrying over to the others. Just as I was about to take Molly's hand to stand up, I felt another twinge in my belly and I hunched over, wincing in pain.

Molly knelt down in front of me, really looking like a worried mother. "Kate, did you have a contraction?"

I straightened up and massaged my belly. "God, I hope not." A single tear fell down my cheek and Molly reached up to wipe it away. "I had a Braxton-Hicks contraction at the restaurant about thirty minutes ago."

The woman's eyes grew wide. "Thirty minutes ago? Kate, if you had a contraction at the Q3, and you had one just now, I'm pretty sure you're in the early stages of labor."

I shook my head stubbornly at her. "No. No way. Not now."

She tried to protest. "But, Kate—"

"No." I repeated in a firm voice. "And you are _not_ telling Castle."

She tried to protest again, but I raised an eyebrow at her and she just nodded in understanding. I was about to let her help me out when the baby gave me a frantic nudge.

"No, no, baby." I cooed to my unborn child, running my hands over the bulge. The baby needed to be relaxed, at least a little bit. "You can't come out right now."

The baby became still for the time being, so I finally let Molly help me out of the car, just as Castle came jogging back to us.

"We can go up upstairs now, but we have to wait for CSU to do their thing before going in." he told us. "Are you ladies ready?"

"Yes." We chorused.

Castle led the way into the building and after an agonizingly long wait, during which Molly helped me cover up another contraction, we were finally let into the apartment, whereupon we all found ourselves consoling the kids. Poor Ashley was the most distraught because he seemed to be talking in circles and he kept apologizing to Castle and me over and over. Molly sat down with him on the couch and hold him so he would stop pacing. Castle and I seized that opportunity to go upstairs to change into more comfortable clothes.

When I had changed into the first thing I saw—my black and white wraparound dress—I sat on the edge of the bed and began crying softly as a wave of guilt swept through me. Castle reemerged from the closet about a minute later, also dressed in a new outfit, and when he saw me, he immediately rushed to my side and knelt in front of me, holding my hands in his.

"Talk to me, Kate." I urged.

"Th-this is all my fault!" I sobbed. "If we had never met, your daughters wouldn't have been kidnapped! They would be _safe_ right now!" Castle seemed to be at a loss for words, so he just let me go. "You have no _idea_ how much I would _love_ to be your wife, Rick, but both of your daughters are gone, probably abducted by someone we've encountered before because of _my_ line of work! What kind of wife would I be if I let you down because the kids aren't safe?"

Castle stood on his knees and framed my face in his hands. "Okay, first of all: Alexis and Lily Joy are _your _daughters, too, Kate. Even _if_ you hadn't adopted LJ, she and Alexis would still be your daughters because you've shown them more love than Meredith _ever_ did. And if LJ had never met you _or_ me, something tells me that she would've turned out to be a bitterer version of Meredith. That didn't happen, obviously, _because_ she met us, and because _your_ love—the love of a woman with a heart overflowing with love—helped LJ change into the darling angel that she is now, and I don't know how I would've made it this far in raising her if you hadn't been there to help."

I was deeply moved by what I was hearing, but I couldn't trust myself to speak. (But I somehow managed to make a mental note of talking to Alexis about me adopting her) Castle sensed some of the thoughts in my head because he sat down next to me on the bed and held me close before continuing.

"Second, I can't _begin_ to tell you how much Alexis has changed and matured into the person she is now since the two of you became friends. I also can't begin to tell you how happy I am that she has you for a positive female influence. She looks up to you, big time. Did you know that?" I shook my head mutely. "Yes, well, she does, and she _always_ has." Castle kissed me on the lips in such a passionate way that time suddenly came to a screeching halt. "Third, don't use the phrase 'If we had never met' because my mind can't wrap itself around such a concept. You've made me into a better man over the years, and for that, I am forever thankful." He kissed me again, and I had to fight the strong urge to jump his bones. "And last, but certainly not least, I _want_ you to be my wife, and I _want_ to be your husband. I've wanted that for ages, but I never really had the courage to say it to you. I want to grow old with you and have more babies with you—as many as your heart desires. I want all of that and so much more, Kate, but I want it all forever."

I was about to respond to his words, but was interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. We called for the person to enter and saw that it was Molly.

"I called the precinct and let them know what's going on," she explained. "But I think that it's up to you two to rally up the rest of the troops. The only other person who is aware of the situation is Madison, but I don't think that Melissa is in any shape to be calling her or Emily."

Castle and I nodded at her words. Everything she was saying made perfect sense.

Castle glanced at me with concern. "I should go downstairs and be with the kids before they all go out of their minds with worry. Are you going to be okay up here with Molly?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine." I indicated my monster of a belly, wishing that the baby would stop moving around. "Molly won't let anything happen to us." I assured him. "Give me a kiss before you go."

My lover gladly obliged and even went as far as to bend down to give the baby a kiss before hurrying out of the room. When I was alone with Molly, she pulled me to my feet and steadied me before we made our way out into the hall and to the stairs at our own pace. I would've gone faster, but given that I was so huge and that the baby didn't like when I did anything at a faster-than-average rate.

"How are you holding up?" My friend asked sincerely. "I can't imagine the things that you and Rick must be feeling right now…"

"I'm not sure what to do or say, but everybody is going to be looking to _me_ to lead this operation from the precinct." I admitted with a heavy sigh as a few stray tears fell down my face. "I don't know if I can handle the pressure, Molly, but at the same time, I don't want to be letting the girls down. I also have my _unborn grandson_ to think about, too!"

We had arrived at the top of the stairs by now, and were looking at each other. Molly reached over and wiped my tears and spoke to me in a comforting tone.

"Hey, now," the way she spoke reminded me a little of the tone my mom would use when she would comfort me. "Nobody expects you to be doing all of the heavy lifting for this, Kate, especially given your condition. From all of the stories you've told me about your different cases, I know that everybody depends on you because you are their _leader, _and as such, they look to you for guidance in a crisis. Believe me when I say I understand that kind of responsibility." A look suddenly appeared in Molly's eyes that made it look like she saw something _huge, _something that could have changed the course of her life in some huge way. I wonder what that thing was… "I understand _that_ part of what it is to have huge responsibilities, but hear me when I say that it's perfectly acceptable to let someone else take the reigns for awhile."

Still curious about the reason (or reasons) of Molly understanding a little of my pain, I could only nod before remembering how to talk.

"Okay, but who?"

"God only knows, dear one."

I fell silent again, this time remembering all of the things that Castle had said to me after my little meltdown. Molly gave my hand a gentle squeeze to bring me back to reality.

"Are you in there?" she asked.

"Yes." I nodded and looked at her with a small smile. "I think that if you had knocked on the door, maybe two minutes later, Rick would have proposed to me!"

My friend's face lit up in joy at my words, but her response was thwarted by Ashley calling up the stairs to us to hurry up. The next few minutes were a blur, but Castle, Molly, Ashley, Melissa, Calvin and I piled into Castle's SUV and made it to the station in record timing. Thanks to a phone tree that I thought to make a few years ago, Ryan and Esposito dropped everything they were doing when I called them and were already at the station with their significant others in tow. (It didn't surprise me one bit that Jenny and Lanie had come along with their guys because pregnant or not, they both would have fought tooth and nail to come because of their deep connections to the NYPD) Emily and Thomas were with them, too, because according to Emily, she and Thomas, and Ryan and Jenny had been at Lanie and Esposito's brownstone, having dinner with them when I called. (What luck to knock out six birds with one stone!) Between all of them, they were able to contact my dad, Martha, Madison, Nicolas and Juliana, and all of them had their kids in tow upon arrival. (The little kids were too sleepy to think about what was going on, so they promptly fell asleep in the lounge while Juliana's two oldest children watched over them) Molly called Seamus, and he arrived about ten minutes later. The only person that seemed to be unreachable was Calvin's dad, but Calvin said that his dad had probably forgotten that his phone was on silent again.

As the uniforms took statements from Ashley, Calvin and Melissa, I began to go over all of the facts and clues that we had so far, but had to stop and sit down at my desk as another contraction seized my lower abdomen. Castle still didn't know that the contractions were happening because Molly had kept her word to me. (Was it wrong that I didn't regret not telling him?) Once I shooed her and Castle away from me, making excuses, Captain Montgomery came over and sat on the edge of my desk.

He spoke to me in a stern voice. "You need to sit this one out, Kate."

"Sir—" I tried to speak, but he continued.

"I don't want to remove you from the case and send you home, but I _will_ if you don't _take it easy."_

The latter part of his statement touched a nerve somewhere inside me, and I felt my blood start to boil. Rolling back in my chair and using my desk as leverage, I stood up and glowered at the captain with my hands on my hips.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me to take it easy!" I yelled in a voice that was loud enough to get the attention of everybody in the room. "My _babies_ are _missing!"_

The gravity of my words alone hit me like a ton of bricks as I realized what I'd said. Yes, I normally referred to Alexis and LJ as my daughters, but I only ever referred to them as my babies when talking to Castle. The fact that I had referred to them that way while yelling at my _boss_ in my _workplace, _in front of my _family_ and my _friends_ changed everything.

My outburst finally set my role as mother to Alexis and LJ—neither one born of my body—in stone once and for all.

They _are_ my babies, and they always will be.

My feelings—all of which were amplified tenfold by my crazy third trimester pregnancy hormone—made everything too much for me to bear and I crumpled to the floor, sobbing.


	33. Alexis Betrayed

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to AR Claire for submitting the 180th review! 180 gold stars to you!

**CHAPTER 33: ALEXIS BETRAYED**

_Alexis' Point of View_

I woke up to a searing pain tearing through my lower abdomen and immediately knew what it was: a contraction. Unable to speak or think about anything else, I just sat up and instinctively gritted my teeth through the pain, praying that my water didn't break any time soon.

When the pain passed, I looked around and saw that I was on an old moldy mattress in a poorly lit area, and judging from all of the crates that lined the wall, I realized that I in some kind of warehouse, so my best guess to my location was somewhere on the outskirts of Manhattan…

The sound of someone crying reached my ears and I immediately remembered being abducted from my front door, and that LJ had been with me. Looking over at the other end of the mattress, I saw my baby sister shaking and crying. I held my arms out to her and she all but flew into them.

"Are you hurt, LJ?" I asked, trying to remain as calm as possible.

She shook her head, and I caught the scent of a few unpleasant smells coming from her.

"No, Lexie," She said in a quiet voice. "But I tossed my cookies _and_ I wet myself. I sorry, Lexie."

… Did she just refer to herself in first person, like a regular kid? She used to do that when we first met, but then she stopped after awhile, because she had gotten so comfortable with us. Now she was back on track with normal three-year-old development…

"You didn't mean to do it, sweetie." I cooed, holding her close. "It's okay. It was an accident."

She nodded, still scared stiff of the whole situation. "Where are we? I so scared."

"I don't know where we are."

My sister looked at me with a heartbroken expression before burrowing into my side. "B-but you're my Lexie. S'posed to know _everything…"_

My own heart broke at hearing these words. I always knew that she looked up to me, but I never knew that she had _that _much faith in me. Without a second thought, I decided to be as brave as I could. As the baby shifted restlessly in my womb, I realized that I had to be brave for him, too.

…I had _two_ innocent lives depending on me to make sure that we all came out alive…

…I'm scared out of my mind, but LJ can't know that…

…She needs me to be strong…

…My _child_ needs me to be strong…

…Part of being a mother is being strong for your family, no matter how dire the situation at hand is…

…My strength as person _and_ as a mother was _really_ being put to the test now…

…May God strike me down if I fail…

LJ's voice snapped me out of my reverie. "Lexie, why mad when you waked up? You gots owie?" Her eyes suddenly grew as wide as saucers when a sudden thought crossed her mind. _"Squishy comin' now?"_

"I hope not." I ran my fingers through her long red hair, which was filthy by now, and had a mess of tangles in it. "How 'bout you talk to Squishy, huh?"

LJ hesitated. "When the people comin' back? The people who taked us?"

"Don't worry about that right now."

That was good enough for my sister because she changed the subject as she studied my belly briefly.

"Where Squishy's head?" She asked. "He _needs _to hear me."

I felt around for a second before putting her hands near my navel. "He's right here."

Pulling back my shirt, she made a little happy noise, temporarily forgetting our situation.

"Hola, my little Squishy." LJ cooed, pressing gentle kisses onto the spot I had indicated. "Gots to stay inside Lexie's tummy now. Not safe out here." She rubbed the bulge affectionately. "If you stay in there, that means I can protec' you. Please to stay inside now. Love to you." She gave my belly one last kiss before resting her against it. "Love to you _so_ much!"

…Please let this be a dream…

…Will someone wake me up? This can't be happening to me…

…Not now…

…I'll wake up and LJ and I will be home again with mom, dad, Gram and all the ones that we love the most…

…We'll be with our family, and then the babies would be born in peace…

…None of this will have happened…

…Nightmares aren't supposed to come true…

…Please let this be a dream…

The sound of a few pairs of heavy footsteps approaching jolted me out of my thoughts because LJ screamed bloody murder. Not caring about how bad she smelled or how dirty she was, LJ climbed into my lap and pressed her tiny body against my belly, protecting the baby as best she could. She was so freaked out that she was completely silent now and was trembling like a little puppy.

I wished that I could take her pain away and calm both her and the baby down, but I had other priorities right now...

Turning towards the new people, I counted three of them. I didn't recognize one of the people, but I recognized the other two, and my stomach plummeted. They were two of Emily's nurses—Elise Cavanaugh and Chloe Wainright—both of whom always seemed to be around when I had my appointments. I wasn't sure what to say about that, but I suddenly realized who had sold me out to Conrad.

Conrad.

If his two snitches were here, that meant that _he_ was nearby.

I looked up at the other man, who was grinning like the cat at the canary.

"Who are you?" I demanded. "What do you want?"

He knelt down on the mattress so that he was close to us. I back up instinctively as he responded. "My name is Jerry Tyson. That name shouldn't mean anything to you, but maybe this one does: 3XK."

I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick as his name triggered a memory. "You held my dad and one of my mom's associates captive last year!" I backed up more. "You're that serial killer who preys on women!"

"I only go after _blonds._ I don't make exceptions for _redheads."_ Jerry sneered as Elise and Chloe stood by, watching us with interest, but not saying anything. "Redheads aren't my type."

"Then what do you want with us?" I cried. "We didn't _do_ anything!"

"This is true." He nodded. "I just came to see you two for myself. The daughters of the mighty Richard Castle…in the Dragon's Lair…"

"'Dragon's Lair'?" I echoed. "What are you _talking_ about? Are _you_ the Dragon?"

Jerry laughed, and it made my skin crawl. "Oh, how little you know. I'm not the Dragon. I only work for him and so do Elise and Chloe." He got up and started walking away with the other two, but called over his shoulder as they headed out the door. "He's here, but there's someone else who wants to see you first."

Feeling utterly perplexed, I could only sit and wait for this other person. A sudden warm feeling trickled down my legs at the same time I had another painful contraction. When the pain subsided, I looked at LJ and saw that she had blushed bright red in embarrassment because she had accidentally peed on me because she was so scared. I tried to make her feel better, but she threw up on the mattress, barely missing me.

All of my bravery flew out the window when a new person entered the room and approached us. My blood ran cold when I saw who it was.

"C-Conrad?" I gasped, subconsciously pulling LJ closer to me. "What are you doing here?"

"That's how you're going to greet me, Alexis? After all this time?" he pretended to be offended. "Not even a proper hello?"

I spat at his feet. "Hell, no! After you have _spies_ at my doctor's office _and_ you send me warning texts that basically threaten my sister and me? And then you have some _thugs_ kidnap us _while_ I'm nine months pregnant with _your_ child, _whom _you don't even want?" I winced as the baby kicked me really hard and LJ flinched at the unexpected movement. _"Hell no! You don't deserve it!"_

"Well, that's too bad." Conrad said in a nonchalant tone. His British accent which I tried so hard to forget was etching its way back into my memory. "Because I was going to start with pleasantries before we got down to business and you two had your first encounter with the Dragon."

"Get on with it, then." I snarled, slipping into Mother Bear mode. As I continued to speak, I could hear the English accent I had picked up during my time in England work its way back into my words. (Dumb reflexes…) "What do you want to tell me, besides the fact that you _betrayed_ me and sold me out?"

"Ever wonder about who ordered the hits on Johanna Beckett or Elijah and Lucy Queller?"

I went pale. "How do you know about them?"

"That doesn't matter." He said dismissively. "I'll answer the question for you: the Dragon, the man that you're going to meet in a few minutes, was the one who ordered the hits.

"What?" I couldn't feel anything in my body except for extreme nausea, and I tried not to puke. "Why? They were _good people!_ What did they ever do?"

Conrad's eyes glinted dangerously. "They got too close! Sacrifices _must_ be made!"

I suddenly realized that whatever was happening, I was _way_ in over my head, and that it had something to do with Kate's mom's death. "What did they get too close to? What kind of person would sacrifice _three_ innocent people? _They had families!"_

"They were _far_ from innocent." Conrad shook his head. "So were Leila Ryan and Coonan…"

"_Who?"_

Conrad shook his head and laughed at me like I was a little kid. "You'll find out soon enough."

He knelt down and kissed me on the lips. I had to fight my whacked out third trimester hormones and libido to not give in, so I slapped him as hard as I could. Conrad looked like he wanted to hit me, but he didn't because LJ chose that moment to scream bloody murder again because she sensed the impending danger.

Any of my ex-fiancée's replies would've been interrupted, anyway, because a new voice sounded from the corner of the room, in the shadows.

"Stand down, Conrad." There was a pause, and the person came a little closer, but I still couldn't see him. "Stand down, and light the lantern."

Curiously, Conrad suddenly looked like a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Getting up, he walked over to a nearby table stocked with lots of different things that all looked like they could cause serious bodily harm. He picked up an electric lantern and turned it on, flooding the whole room with bright light. As he came back to us and set the lamp down on the floor, I looked back towards the other man.

My stomach plummeted yet again as I looked at the man. The sudden change caused me to have another contraction. LJ was holding onto my arm so tightly that her fingernails were digging into my skin, and I was surprised that she hadn't broken of my skin, causing me to bleed.

"Who are you?" My Mother Bear senses heightened even more because I couldn't see this new person. "What the hell do you want?"

"Tsk, tsk." The stranger spoke, and I felt uneasy. "That's no way to greet _family."_

"Family?" I shrieked. "They're all at _home,_ wondering where my sister and I are!"

He came forward and I felt even worse—if it was at all possible—because he looked like an older version of my dad, maybe thirty or so years into the future. But the frightening thing was that he didn't have _any_ of the warmth that dad normally had.

…It went without saying that this man is my father's father…

…Dad knew nothing about him and doesn't really _want_ to know…

…I've always been curious, but the only other person who can answer my questions—Gram—made it clear a _long_ time ago that she won't _ever_ talk about him…

…What the hell did he do to her?...

…Oh, my God! Was she abandoned when she was pregnant with dad?...

…My family's true colors made me sick…

…And how in the world did this have anything to do with Kate's mom?...

I spoke again. _"You're_ the Dragon?"

"I am." He replied simply. "Guilty as charged."

"If you're the Dragon, then will you at least tell me _why_ you ordered the hits on Kate's mom and Elijah and Lucy Queller?"

"All in due time, my dear Alexis."

"Don't call me _dear!"_ I snarled, ignoring yet another contraction. "You have no right! You _lost_ that right when you _vanished_ from my dad's life!"

"'Vanished'?" he echoed coolly. "I was never there to begin with."

"You abandoned dad and Gram?" I yelled. "What kind of man _are_ you?"

"I am a man of many sorrows and _no_ regrets. No matter how grand my sins are, I have _no_ regrets because sacrifices are necessary in my line of business." He replied. "I did the things I did, like ordering the hits on Johanna and the Quellers, and recruiting Elise Cavanaugh, Chloe Wainright, Conrad King, Jerry Tyson, Vulcan Simmons and the Coonan brothers because when you're someone like me, you realize that after awhile, some people are just thorns in your side while everyone is just a pawn in the grand scheme of things..." He smiled in a sinister way as he added something else on. "Pawns who can be _disposed_ of without a second thought."

Okay, so I have no idea who Vulcan Simmons or the Coonan brothers are, but they, along with Conrad, Jerry, Elise and Chloe are _pawns_ who can be _disposed_ of? What the hell did I get myself into?

…Wait a second. Wasn't 'Coonan' the last name of the guy who held dad hostage in the precinct once? He died because Kate _shot_ him to save dad…

I forced myself to get back on topic. "What's all this _bull_ about sacrifices? I still don't understand why Johanna and Elijah and Lucy had to die!"

"Because they got too close!" He raised his hand like he was going to hit me and I flinched. A teeny tiny burst of relief passed through my body when he just ran his fingers through his hair before continuing. "Did you know that Johanna was in a car accident back in '98?"

I nodded, having the feeling that I wouldn't last long if he didn't think I was cooperating. "Yes, I do know. Kate told me about it once."

"Did she mention that there were two more cars involved? Did she mention who was in one of the cars?"

"No…"

…I didn't like where this was going, and I had a sinking feeling that I knew who the other people were…

"Lanie was in the other car," I wasn't even going to question how he knew the names of anybody in my inner circle. This man clearly had power and reach. "As were her little sister and her mother." All the while, this man—who I refused to acknowledge as my grandfather—had been pacing back and forth in front of the mattress, but now he'd stopped pacing and was kneeling in front of us. "Johanna was supposed to die, you know. Her murder in the alley was Plan B. Lanie's sister _and_ Johanna's unborn child were simply casualties of a cruel, cruel war."

That did it.

"'Unfortunate'?" I screamed. "Lanie's sister was almost _seven,_ and Kate's sister wasn't even _born _yet!"

This man—the Dragon, as they call him—raised his hand and really _did_ slap me across the cheek this time.

The last thing I heard before blacking out was the gut-wrenching sobs of my little sister.

Nothing else.


	34. Long Time No See

**CHAPTER 34: LONG TIME NO SEE**

_(Twelfth Precinct )_

_(Castle's Point of View)_

After Kate's outburst towards Captain Montgomery, she crumpled to the ground as her grief for our missing children consumed her. I was able to catch her before she collapsed completely and lower her to the ground so she wouldn't get hurt. I held her onto her for a few minutes until she was calmer and her tears had subsided. After a few minutes, Kate expressed her desire not to leave the room, so I helped her into her chair and pushed my old chair closer so she could prop her feet up. I sat on the edge of her desk, trying to think of some way to be helpful in the situation.

A sudden idea popped into my head and I began scrolling through my contact list at a rapid rate. Kate noticed.

"What are you doing, Rick?" her voice was weary with exhaustion.

"I'm calling for help." I informed her, reaching over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Have some faith in me."

"I have lots of faith in you, love." Despite the fact that her heart was probably torn up with grief, she managed to give me a small smile. "Make the call."

Turning my attention back to my phone, I pressed the call button and waited for the person on the other end to pick up. The call was answered on the third ring.

A familiar voice, one that I hadn't heard for quite sometime, sounded in the speaker.

"This is Jordan Shaw."

My heart practically went faint with relief. "Jordan, it's Richard Castle. I have a _really_ big favor to ask."

She sounded like she wanted to make a joke about the lack of communication, but to her credit, Jordan was strictly professional.

"What can I do for you on this fine September night?"

"My daughters Alexis and Lily Joy are missing. We believe they've been abducted." I wasted no time in getting to the point. "I don't know if leading recovery operations in abductions is in your job description, but—"

Jordan shushed me. "Stop, Castle." I heard the scraping of a chair and the sound of footsteps on her end of the line. "I'll bring your daughters back. I can be at the precinct in fifteen minutes."

"What?" I was taken aback by her words because I'd been expecting her to get here in an hour or two, _if_ she agreed. "Fifteen minutes? Where are _you?"_

I could hear the smile in her voice. "I actually live in Astoria with my husband and children," I heard two small voices bidding her goodbye as she shut her car door. "So _yes,_ I can be there in fifteen minutes. Is there any vital information I should know about the girls right now?"

"Alexis is nine months pregnant and due literally any day now." I answered bluntly. "Lily Joy is not easy to trust a new person, especially women."

"All right." Jordan sounded like she was already making mental notes. "Oh, and Castle?"

"Yes?"

"I _do_ keep up with the local celebrities, so I know that all about your romance with Kate Beckett and how you two have your own little bundle of joy on the way. Congratulations on that." I immediately flashed back to the case that Kate and I had worked with her, and she'd at point blank how long Kate and I had been sleeping together. "Is she nearby?"

I glanced at Kate, who had her eyes closed as she sat in her chair, tracing patterns on her belly with her fingers, a tactic she used when trying to calm the baby.

"Yes, she's here, too. But I think that she'd shoot me if we were at all separated right now."

"Nice to know that some things don't change…" she mused, wandering off on a rabbit trail for a minute before switching gears and finishing her train of thought. "What I was going to say was that you should treasure her. It was clear, even in the brief time that I was working with you two that you already did, but she really needs you _right now."_ From the way Jordan was talking, it sounded like the voice of experience. "Just show her that she has your support, no matter _how_ the situation turns out." I shuddered at her insinuation and prayed that it didn't happen. "Do you understand?"

"I do." I answered solemnly. "I understand."

"Good." I heard the sound of Jordan's car starting as she put her keys in the ignition. "I'll see you in fifteen minutes."

I ended the phone call and looked over at Kate again, this time to see that she had been watching me with intense curiosity.

_(Jordan's Point of View)_

_(En route from Astoria to Manhattan)_

As I started the drive from the Shaw house in Astoria out to Manhattan, I was thankful that my car was equipped with a built in phone because it allowed me to focus on driving while making a few phone calls to my partner, Charles Avery, as well as the other necessary people who would be crucial in making this operation work successfully. Once I was done making those calls and hung up, I became very restless during the rest of the journey because Castle's request had triggered some bad memories that were stirring up some personal demons from the past. (I would do anything to forget these memories) I was grateful to the powers of the universe when I looked up and realized that I had just had the shortest fifteen minute ride to the twelfth precinct.

I met Avery and the rest of my team in the parking lot and ordered issues to them as we began our ascent up to the homicide floor. When we got there, I went through the motions of greeting everybody and establishing temporary command. In the midst of that, Castle walked up to me with a hugely pregnant Kate at his side. It was the latter of the two who spoke first.

"What's the first move?" Kate spoke with a don't-you-dare-tell-me-no attitude. "What can we do?"

"The first thing we need to do is gather up the troops and make a war room." I explained. "The ideal place is filled with sleeping children…"

I raised an eyebrow at that, for an explanation from either Kate or Castle, but I was interrupted when a younger woman—Caucasian, medium height, blue eyes and blond hair—hurried over, like she'd been looking for us.

"Are you Jordan Shaw?" There was desperation in her voice.

"I am Jordan Shaw, yes." I regarded her curiously. "Who are you?"

"I'm Emily Ryan, a friend of Kate and Castle's." I noticed that she spoke with a heavy Australian accent, maybe making her an immigrant, or the daughter of Australian immigrants. "I think I know who had a hand in this abduction."

This drew gasps from the other two, and Castle spoke up. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"_Because,"_ Emily hissed. "I only just put the pieces together!"

Kate stepped in between the two of them with her arms out, trying to separate them before they started a riot.

"Hey!" she said sternly. "Don't fight! Fighting won't bring my babies home sooner!"

Emily and Castle realized that Kate had a point and stopped bickering, and three pairs of eyes were suddenly on me, waiting for further instruction. Glancing around, I saw the break room door was open and decided that it would be a good place to go. The others followed me in, but we stopped in our tracks when we saw that we weren't alone. There were three people on the couch—two boys and a girl—watching us and they all looked very distraught.

I approached them and one of the boys spoke up.

It was my son, Calvin. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Kate jumped into the conversation before I could respond. "Wait a minute." She was confused. "Did Calvin just call you 'mom'?"

"Yes, detective, he did. Calvin is my boy." I turned to address her, Castle and Emily. "Why don't you three go gather the rest of the troops and wait for me in Captain Montgomery's office?"

These orders seemed fine with them because they nodded in understanding and left the room. As I watched them go, I noticed that with Kate's slightly awkward gait, she was probably in labor. (Judging from her behavior, she probably knows, but hasn't told Castle. I'll just keep my mouth shut…) I forced my attention back to my son because I remembered that he had asked me a question.

"I'm here to lead the rescue operation to bring Alexis and Lily Joy home." A sudden light clicked on in my brain. "You're supposed to be at the loft with them and your friends."

"I _was_ there mom," Calvin stressed. "But then the abduction happened and we came here with everybody else because we didn't want to get left behind."

I nodded at his words and looked over at his friends, recognizing them from a framed picture on his bedside table at home. My gaze fell on the other boy.

"You must be Ashley Kerrigan," I deduced. "Alexis's boyfriend."

"Yes, I am," He was teary-eyed and scrubbed at his eyes to keep from crying. "But how did you know?"

"Calvin tells lots of stories."

I knelt down in front of Calvin to address the girl who was resting her head in Calvin's lap. I knew right away who she was.

"And you must be Melissa Queller."

She nodded and smiled slightly through her tears, but didn't say anything.

"We're going to find them, I promise." I found myself speaking in a soothing tone and smoothing her hair back so I could see her face clearly. "I'll make sure they're home soon."

Melissa still didn't say anything but she gave my hand a quick squeeze as I stood. A small noise emitted from her mouth, like a squeak, and I realized that she had started a long stream of hiccups. She sat up and leaned against the couch while Ashley spoke up, trying to keep his voice steady.

"We all love Alexis, LJ and the baby, but Alexis and Melissa are as close as sisters. That's why she's taking this whole situation so hard…" Ashley's voice trailed off briefly as Melissa narrowed her eyes at him and hissed like an angry goose, warning him to not stray too far off topic. Ashley got the message and changed the subject. "Alexis is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love her _so_ much. She's part of the reason why this family," he gestured to himself and his companions. "Has stayed together, no matter what the obstacles are that get in our way. I don't want to imagine my life without her—I don't think I can—and I really want to marry her when we're older. I might even propose to her next year because she might be ready by then…"

Poor Ashley was so distraught that he started crying in front of us with no shame. Even though Melissa was hiccupping up a storm by now, as some people do when they cry, she held him close to her with one arm and made soothing noises. Melissa's other arm was secured around Calvin's waist, calming him with just her touch. (Calvin has always described Alexis as the mother hen of their posse, but it looks like Melissa is a close second)

What was curious was when one of Melissa's sweater sleeves had ridden back, exposing her arm, I spotted a number of gnarly scars on it.

…How in the world did someone get scars like those? It was certainly no accident…

Before my curiosity got the better of me, I wiped everybody's tears and placed a motherly kiss on Calvin's forehead and reassured all of them that I'd get their loved ones home soon.

As I left the room and headed to Captain Montgomery's office, I couldn't help but marvel over how close knit the kids are with each other. Calvin always tells stories to his dad and me about the things he did with his friends, and now I could finally see it with my own eyes. They really _are_ their own family, and it does my heart good to see a friendship like theirs.

…I wonder if Calvin knows how lucky he is to have friends like Ashley, Melissa and Alexis…

…I wish _I'd_ had friends like them when I was that age…

…With the exception of one person, life was just way too cruel to me…

**AN:** Reviews = gold stars :D


	35. New Kid On the Block

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **It makes me happy to see everybody so invested in the story! Special shout to Ninangel567 for submitting the 190th review! 190 gold stars to you! Oh, and Baby Bird? This one is yours :)

**CHAPTER 35: NEW KID ON THE BLOCK**

Okay, so imagine starting out life being able to see just fine. You can see the people around you, the blue skies, the grass and the flowers in it, and most of all, you can see the wonderful and beautiful sun. But then imagine…that it all starts fading away to the point where you need special glasses just to _see,_ and you're still just a little kid. (I can assure you that I did have glasses, but they didn't last long) Imagine having your entire field of vision reduced to nothing except blurs and colors before you're even ten (well, I think I was younger than ten. I don't know how old I am). Then try imagining having to grow up like that. Imagine what's it's like to slowly forget what your own reflection looks like because you can't really see yourself in the mirror.

Yeah, well…that happened to me.

Now imagine growing up in the foster care system after your whole world is shattered and turned upside down when your faith in people is dramatically altered after a drastic event, and you _still_ can't see. Imagine being ridiculed endlessly by the older kids because of your disability and your buy into their words that nobody wants to adopt a kid who can't see her own reflection.

I was that kid.

Finally, imagine living on the streets like that, with only your little girl for company. Imagine coming to terms with your disability and then finding out on the day your daughter is born that both of you have the rarest blood type possible, making you both prone to all sorts of health problems. Like that's not bad enough, try imagining—still on the day your child is born—that not only was your child diagnosed with epilepsy, but also with a form of blindness that's almost as bad as your own, but not quite the same thing. (I know I'm blind, but I don't know _how_ blind I am) Imagine not being able to see your own child's face properly.

That's also me.

My name is Jessica Rose Arcadia Parish.

"Mama," Gabriella whined as we trudged along the sidewalk. "How much longer 'til we get there?"

"Just a little while longer, mija." I told my daughter, holding onto her hand while I squinted up at the numbers and letters on the buildings we passed. "Just a little while longer…"

"Is there going to be food?"

My heart clenched at her pitiful tone. "I don't know."

Gabriella started crying out frustration. "But I'm _hungry!_ I want to eat! Please, mama? _Please?"_

I ignored her words, not having the heart to tell her that we hadn't eaten since earlier because I didn't have any money for food, and stealing it would be wrong. We also haven't eaten because we've been on the run since this morning. While we were 'living' in an abandoned building next to a warehouse on the outskirts of Manhattan with some of the city's sketchiest people, I overheard Sir tell his people that it was "time to put the plan into action" and that the Castle girls were the target.

That was some time this morning. We would've left sooner, but one of Sir's people had plans for me that couldn't be stopped unless I wanted Gabriella to get hurt. (As tough as I act, my daughter is my biggest weakness) I didn't want that, of course, so I stayed until I wasn't needed any longer. I gathered up all of my things, found Gabriella and bolted soon thereafter, never looking back.

In my world, it's always been 'survival of the fittest,' and nothing else mattered if you wanted to stay alive.

Nothing.

My new mission is to get to the Twelfth Precinct in the inner city to locate Richard Castle or Kate Beckett.

Personally, I hope I can locate Ms. Beckett first because while I do admire her for heroics that come with being an NYPD homicide detective, she would be a lot easier for me to talk to than it would be for me to talk to Richard Castle. If I found Mr. Castle first, I don't know if I'd remember how to talk to him because I am _such_ a fan girl, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've read every single one of his books because they helped me to escape from reality for awhile when things got crazy. (Which was most of the time, actually, because I spent a better part of my life a group home) His books saved my life.

Even Gabriella is a fan girl. _Heat Wave_ came out when she was one, and I managed to get my hands on a Braille version of it. I would lie on my bed and read it, and Gabriella would ask me to read it to her. (I gladly obliged my daughter, but skipped some parts) It melted my heart that Gabriella cared so deeply about stories and story structure from such an early age.

When she was old enough to hold conversations with me, one of the first things Gabriella said was that all she wanted was to meet Richard Castle and the pretty lady he wrote the books for, and then she would be happy. (For someone who isn't even five yet, she's pretty sharp to realize that there's a difference between Nikki Heat and Kate Beckett) All I could ever tell her in response was that if she made enough dandelion wishes, her (only) wish would come true one day when she wasn't even looking for it.

The very topic of Gabriella's idols was on her mind as she spoke again.

"Mama, you say that Señor Castle an' Señorita Beckett gon' be at the precinct?"

"Si, mija," I responded. "But they might be busy."

Gabriella, who can be frighteningly optimistic sometimes, spoke cheerily, instead of sounding disappointed like a normal four year old would.

"S'okay." She assured me. "I maked lotsa dand'lion wishes today, so they might not be _too_ busy."

I was too distracted to answer her because I was feeling the signs on a building we had stopped in front of, and I was praying that it had Braille lettering on it. (I can see regular letters, but not well. Knowing Braille is ten times easier because those letters don't fade away when the sun goes down, like it did awhile ago.) I eventually found a few lines of raised dots and ran my fingers across them eagerly. My heart leapt for joy when I realized that we were at the right place. Once I made sure that my hold on Gabriella's hand and my messenger bag was secure, I hurried inside.

After a lady at the front desk told me where the homicide floor was, we made it across the lobby and into the elevator. Thankful that the elevator buttons were also equipped with Braille, I pressed the right button and a few floors later, we had arrived at our destination. When we stepped off the elevator, I suddenly became overwhelmed (as did Gabriella) by the sea of chaos we had just stepped into, and I had trouble deciphering what was going on because everybody was moving too fast for me to focus on a specific person. Just when I was about to lose my cool, an officer helped direct us to the person in charge.

Of course, I couldn't see much of this person, except for her general shape, and that she had long red hair. (What I wouldn't give to be in the land of the sighted again…) I addressed her in the most confident tone I could.

"Are you the person in charge?"

"Yes," she answered in a hurried tone. "But I don't have time to talk right now because I'm in charge of a very important rescue mission."

I heard her walking away, so I reached out and caught her arm and moved a little closer. This move surprised her.

"You're running the rescue mission of the Castle girls." I said boldly.

The woman gasped. "How do you know about the Castle girls?"

"Because I know who took them." Just before I released my grip on the woman's arm, I felt her turn her body to face mine, giving me her complete attention. "I know where they're going to be brought to, if everything works out the right way, and it this point, we _want_ it to, because the people who took them are capable of _anything."_

"All right," The woman raised an eyebrow at me and sounded skeptical. But she had every reason to be. "But how do I know you aren't lying to me?"

"Okay, you don't know because all I can give you is my word," I admitted, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "But I can assure that blind or not, my daughter and I wouldn't have spent all day on our feet getting here if I wasn't one hundred percent sure. You just have to trust me."

"Where are they?"

I immediately told her everything I knew, including the fact that the ringleader is referred to as the 'Untouchable' in some circles. For the first time since I started talking to this woman, I detected fear in her voice as she spoke.

"Did you say that he's called the 'Untouchable'?"

"Yes." I answered hesitantly. "That's what I said. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She said in a dismissive tone as she changed topics and became curious. "What's all this gauze on your arms?"

I immediately stepped back and held my arms behind my back. The gauze on my arms—and the gloves on my hands—was part of the reason why I'd been delayed in escaping earlier. What was underneath them was the rest of the reason…

"Never mind that." I said briskly. "There _is_ one thing I have to ask, and it's _very _important."

"I would like to know your name first. My name is Jordan."

"My name is Jessica Rose," I touched the top of Gabriella's head in emphasis. "And this is my daughter, Gabriella."

"Jessica Rose and Gabriella…what beautiful names." Jordan commented. "What is your question?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before asking a question that I've been waiting years and years to ask. "D-do you know my parents? I heard that they work here…"

"What are their names?"

I told her my parents' names, and she led me by the hand through the sea of chaos into another room. We stopped when she made shooing noises and I saw a blur of people leaving the room. Still trying to sort out all the noise, I barely noticed when Jordan sat me down on what felt like a couch as she instructed me not to leave the room. I was grateful to be off my feet after such a long day, so I knew I wasn't moving. Gabriella rested her head in my lap, content to be still.

Jordan disappeared for a few minutes, but returned with two other people. Gabriella gave a small gasp as they came closer and sat up. Jordan didn't say anything, but I felt her put two pairs of hands into my own hands and back away. I couldn't quite tell what these people looked like, but I knew for sure that the new people were a man and a woman.

Butterflies started thumping wildly in my stomach as the man spoke.

"Jessica Rose, is that you?"

**AN:** Reviews = gold stars :D


	36. 11:11

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This chapter is for phnxgrl, for being such an amazing and loyal reviewer since the early chapters :) As a certain tiny redhead would say: "Love to you!" By the way, phnxgrl: there is a nod to you in this chapter. Let me know when you find it! Other orders of business: special shout out to Writer200 for having the 200th review! 200 gold stars to you! One last thing: Happy late birthday to my dear friend Ellkat! I hope it was the best! :D

**CHAPTER 36: 11:11**

_(Lanie's Point of View)_

I couldn't trust myself to speak because I could hardly believe what was happening, and I was so shocked and so happy. After all of these years, our baby girl was home? She's all grown up, too…

Miracles really _do_ happen…

Who is that little girl next to her, watching me through those adorable frames on her face? She must be my baby's baby. (Wait. That makes me an abuela…) The little girl looked like a four-year-old version of me, except with lighter brown skin and thicker and curlier hair. Speaking of hair, hers added to her cuteness factor by ten because it was long and done up in dozens of braids, each one decorated with multiple cowrie shells. Dressed in a yellow tutu dress and sandals, she was just flat out adorable, and I suddenly hoped (more than usual) that the baby growing inside my womb was another girl, because when I was little, most of the family planning I did was for having a family of girls. I had to suppress a laugh when the little girl started blinking at me in an owlish manner through her glasses because her beautiful brown eyes were magnified to a great a great degree, giving her the overall appearance of a cartoon character.

Looking at my mini-me for another minute, the doctor side of my brain kicked into high gear when I realized that she was looking in my direction, but not at me. (Is she blind?) I found it very intriguing, but was distracted from thinking about it any further when the baby gave me a hard kick, reminding me that I needed to be sitting on the couch and not kneeling on the floor in front of my daughter and talking to her, like Javier was.

Obeying the baby's request and sat down on the couch, soothing the baby as she moved around restlessly. (Like Kate and Castle, we had also chosen not to find out the gender of the baby beforehand, but I had a feeling that I was carrying a girl) My attention was diverted from the baby when my daughter turned to me. (My heart sank when I saw that she was also looking in my direction, but not directly at me) As I took in her appearance, one of the things I noticed right away was that she had a swirling design tattooed on the right side of her face. It started out at the edge of her eye and then blossomed out in pattern similar to the idea of a tree branch. It ran the entire length of the right side of her face, starting from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her jaw, and extending out to the middle of her cheek. It looked very pretty.

Not caring too much about that, I pulled my daughter in close for a hug, overjoyed just to have her in my arms again.

"Jessica Rose," I whispered to her when we pulled her apart. "I want you to know that your father and I have always loved you and wanted you. Giving you up was the hardest thing we've ever had to do."

She smiled briefly, making my heart turn to butter when I saw she had her father's smile, but that all went away when the smile faltered when and she furrowed an eyebrow, suddenly resembling a younger, more ticked of version of me.

"Yeah, well, if you two loved me so much and you wanted me," it didn't escape me that my daughter's voice was full of scorn. "Then why didn't you come save me? I grew up in _hell."_

My heart shattered into a million tiny pieces and I couldn't speak again, once more feeling the weight of past decisions (and regrets) coming back to haunt me. All I could do was rub my belly in a mechanical way as the baby kept moving.

Javier answered the question for me, directing her attention to him. "We were just kids when you were born, and we thought that it was the best thing for you. Please forgive us, niña."

Jessica Rose made a pouty face like a little kid trying not to cry as she rubbed her eyes. "As mad as I am for having grown up the way I did, I forgive you, papa." Javier gave me a surprised look in reaction to Jessica's words as she reached for my hand and looked at me. "I forgive you, too, mama."

My voice was too thick with emotion to form a complete sentence, but I managed a single word. "Why?"

"After all of the things I've experienced in my life, I've learned that it's not a good idea to run around carrying a grudge all the time, because you never know when there would be a chance to make amends and get back what was once lost. If you're too angry, you'd miss the chance, even if it was right in front of you." Jessica answered sagely. "I decided a long time ago that if someone has done me wrong and they deserve a second chance, I'll give it to them," She wiped the tears falling down her face away with the back of her hand. "And you two are my parents, so there isn't even a question about forgiveness and second chances there."

Javier breathed a huge sigh of relief and I kissed Jessica's hand. "Thank you, Jess."

Silence fell as I held Jessica Rose for another cuddle, and I shifted uncomfortably as the baby gave me a jab with one of her elbows. The sudden movement caused Jessica to drop her hand against my belly, and it landed near the spot where the baby was moving. Curious, Jessica moved her hand (and attention) to the spot and began feeling around, as if she couldn't quite locate the spot. Looking over Jessica's head, I glanced at Javier and knew that he was thinking the same thing that I was: _our daughter can't see properly._ Neither one of us said a word, but we both placed Jessica's wandering hand on the spot where the baby was kicking up a storm.

A childlike smile appeared on her face, shining through the weariness and battle scars.

"You're having a baby?" My heart turned over happily at the unadulterated joy in her voice. After being gone for twenty years, I couldn't believe that Jessica was taking the news about the baby so well. Sometimes you get lucky, I suppose. "I'm going to be a big sister?"

"Yes, mija," I cooed, guiding her hand over the entire length of my enormous belly. "And it's due literally any day."

"We don't know the gender yet," Javier added. "But we _do_ know that he or she is overdue and that your mama is getting crankier by the day about it."

Javier dodged a swat from me as Jessica chuckled at her father's words. "I've been there when I was pregnant with Gabriella. I was ten days overdue with her."

Javier and I made sympathetic noises as our granddaughter chose that moment to wander over. In the process of walking over to us from where she had been sitting on the floor about six of seven feet away from us, she tripped over her feet twice, but got up and dusted herself off like it was nothing. (That's totally not normal…) I couldn't wander off onto a rabbit trail because Gabriella regarded her mother in a curious way.

"Mama, you say my name." she stated clearly. "I here."

"I was just telling my mama and papa that you took a long time coming out of my tummy." Jessica told her.

"I taked ten days." Gabriella chirped in amusement. "Ten days!"

"That's right." Jessica praised. "Muy bueno, Gabs!"

Gabriella smiled a smile that I recognized as my own, but it faltered as fast as her mother's had earlier because I saw the wheels turning in her head as a new thought occurred to her. Touching Javier's knee, she spoke to him, eyes becoming even more magnified by her glasses as they widened.

"Mama say that you her papa? You my abuelo?"

Well, damn. This little one didn't miss a thing, and I wouldn't put her past four years old.

"Si." Javier responded, also surprised by Gabriella's cleverness.

Gabriella turned to me. "Abuela?"

"That's right." I nodded. "I am your abuela."

…I find it amusing that after all these years, it took something as big as being reunited with my long-lost daughter to make me start weaving Spanish words into my vocabulary like I did when I was a kid…

Gabriella smiled again before turning in her mother's direction. "What doing, mama? Why touchin' abuela's tummy?"

"There's a baby in there." Jessica informed her daughter. "Do you want to feel?"

"Si, por favor." The little girl nodded, making her cowrie shells clack together. "I want to feel."

Javier and I watched in fascination as our granddaughter moved closer to her mother and felt around the surface of my belly before locating her target and gently sliding her tiny hand Jessica's adult sized one. She obviously knew that her mother literally couldn't see things the right way.

Gabriella glanced up at me, hand still plastered to my belly as she tracked the baby's movements. "'Buela, is baby boy or girl?"

"I don't know yet, sweetie."

She leaned forward and gave my belly a gentle kiss, reminding me vividly of LJ. "Defin'tly a girl." My heart beat a little faster as she rubbed the bulge, and she giggled hysterically as the baby moved in response to Gabriella touching my belly. "This is baby Grace. That name perfec'…"

"I like that name." Javier told Gabriella as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "It really _is_ perfect."

"Oh, yes." I nodded in agreement. "If the baby is a girl, we'll be sure to name her Grace."

Gabriella beamed and turned to her mother. "My 'Buela gots a baby in her tummy like you used to!"

Jessica Rose's whole demeanor changed in a heartbeat at those words. She immediately dropped Gabriella's hand and started rubbing her belly with a gloved hand, longing for something that she once had, but obviously didn't anymore. Tears of grief fell down my daughter's face as her own daughter apologized over and over before scowling at us all and going to retreat to a spot near the door, just in case she wanted to flee.

Javier and I moved closer to Jessica and wrapped our arms around her when she didn't object. It was a few minutes before she could speak.

"I had a bad miscarriage in the hospital two months ago," my heart broke yet again at her words. "And not only that, but they also tried to take Gabriella away from me because one of the nurses was old fashioned and believed that someone like me isn't fit to be a mother to someone like Gabriella because I'm so young, and because she and I are both disabled."

Javier could only offer words of sympathy. "I'm sorry all of that happened to you, Jessica Rose. I just wish that I could take your pain away."

I rubbed my daughter's shoulder, trying not to shudder as memories from my past came rushing back to me. "Jessica?"

She turned to me. "Yes, mama?"

"I understand the pain of going through miscarriage."

Jessica's eyes grew wide in shock. "How could you know? How could you _possibly_ know?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before answering her. "Because, mija," I traced the outlines of her beautiful face, trying not to let my heart hurt too much as I kept finding new scars on her skin. "We wanted to have a baby last year, and we tried, but I miscarried three times before giving up." I sighed heavily. "Nobody knows about it. Not even my best friends…"

Jessica couldn't find the words to sympathize with me, and she didn't have to for me to know that she was sorry without saying it directly.

She leaned against me and gave my belly a rub. "What about this one? After all the grief that life has put you and papa through, this one is very much alive, and very active." The baby rolled her knees under Jessica's hand, drawing smiles from both of us. "I think that God decided to smile down and give you a miracle. There's nothing better than an overwhelming dose of happiness after a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders."

I was about to say something in response to that, but the sudden noise of a chair scraping across the floor. We all looked over to see that Gabriella was back on her feet and moving around the room, touching everything she came into contact with.

No longer able to contain my curiosity, I asked the question that I'd been thinking about since first seeing my granddaughter. "Why is Gabriella touching everything in sight?"

"She's memorizing the layout of the room." Jessica explained. "She's getting comfortable, and that's a good sign."

Javier asked his question at point blank. "Is Gabriella blind, Jess? It seems like it."

"Yes, she is." Jessica answered with a nod. "She's been legally blind since birth, and she can see, not well. I'm blind, too, but I wasn't always. I just don't know _how_ blind I am because I've never been to the doctor for it." She scrunched up her nose comically as she tried to remember something. "I think the last time I was even _in _a doctor's office was when I was pregnant…"

Before the air became too heavy, Javier changed the subject as he traced the tattoo on her face.

"How did you get this tattoo, mija?"

Jessica's expression turned dark again. "Sir had one of his people tattoo me to show that I belong to him."

"Who is 'Sir'?"

"Nobody you can touch. He _is_ untouchable." Jessica's voice was dripping with venom. "I have heard the voice of evil, and I don't want to hear it ever again. It haunts my nightmares all the time."

"Fair enough." Javier agreed. "We won't talk about it."

Jessica reached up and touched the side of her face with the tattoo. "Sir said that nobody is going to want to marry a girl who is 'marked up' like me because I'm ugly that way." She made a scoffing noise. "I don't even know what to make of that because I haven't been able to see my reflection at all since I was a kid, and I forgot a long time ago what I even look like." Jessica rubbed her eyes again, still trying not to cry, but I still heard the tears in her voice. "I have no understanding of the concepts of beauty _or_ ugliness because all I can see are shapes and the _outlines _of people, and everything else is nothing but a blur. Gabriella says I'm beautiful, and her vision is almost as bad as mine, but she tells me I'm beautiful because she's my daughter and she loves me unconditionally. I'm not sure if she understands beauty or ugliness, either…"

Looking my daughter over, I decided that she was beautiful. True, she was dressed in mostly gothic punk attire with a black t-shirt decorated with a pirate skull, a purple plaid mini skirt, fishnet stockings and had black platform boots (complete with skull buckles) on her feet and leather gloves on her hands, and she had dreadlocks running down to the middle of her back, I realized that she was _very_ beautiful—glamorous, in fact. With her chocolate brown hair, brown eyes and her mocha colored skin, and square jaw line and curly black hair, she looked like a good mixture of Javier and me. Any guy would be lucky to have her…

Not wanting to freak Jessica out by trying to comfort her about her appearance, I decided to ask her about the gloves on her hands and the gauze her arms were wrapped in.

"What's under the gauze, Jess?" I asked curiously. "Why are your arms wrapped up?"

"It's the reason we couldn't leave sooner." She responded darkly. "I got the tattoo on my face about a week ago, but there are tattoos on my arms that took seventy-two _straight _hours to complete."

"That's three days!" I blurted.

"I _know."_ Jessica replied bluntly. "I didn't want to get any of my tattoos, but I didn't really have a choice in the matter. Tattoos are Sir's way of showing that you're his property. It's like being branded, but without the cattle prod." She sighed shakily and I realized that her defensive walls that she had probably spent a whole lifetime building were slowly crumbling to the ground. "I didn't have a choice in getting the tattoos, unless I wanted Gabriella to get hurt, but I did have a choice in the pictures. It's a shame that I can't even see what they look like."

"What _did_ you get?"  
Jessica held an arm towards me. "Why don't you find out?"

I carefully undid the bindings on her arm and the glove on her hand. When I saw what was underneath, I gasped. All up and down her arm was the most intricately detailed tattoo sleeve I had ever seen. The top of Jessica's shoulder a Chinese symbol at the top, and directly beneath that, stretching from that point to her elbow was a beautiful depiction of an African lion. Underneath the lion, on Jessica's forearm was a pattern of different shapes and colors that went all the way down to the bases of her fingernails. In the middle of that design sat a banner with the word 'imagine' tattooed in cursive.

Javier undid the bindings and gloves on her other side and let Jessica turn to show me after a minute. This arm held the depiction of a bright red phoenix rising from a huge flame against a starry night. The phoenix itself and the yellow stars and black sky went from the top of her shoulder to her mid forearm. The flame took up the rest of the space, coming to an end at the bases of her fingernails again.

"The lion and the Chinese symbol stand for strength, and 'imagine' is on there to remind me that it does gets better, even if you have to imagine it first." Jessica explained. "The phoenix is the international sign of rebirth, and according to ancient mythology, the phoenix can live up to a thousand years. Near the end of its lifecycle, it builds a nest and ignites itself. The nest and the bird will both burn, but in the end, a baby phoenix will rise up from the ashes to live again." Jessica brushed a hand over the phoenix absently. "I always thought of the phoenix as a magnificent creature and I convinced myself that one day, I'd be able to rise above the hell my life was and be born again, as well. That day is finally here…"

Jessica Rose's voice trailed off and she suddenly looked like she had disappeared to a place inside herself.

"What is it?" I asked gently. "Please don't shut us out."

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. "The lady who did all of this work was named Leila. She used to run in some really bad circles with the Irish mob and the drug lords. Leila met me when I was a few hours from having Gabriella, and she had mercy on me and brought me to a hospital herself. She was still associated with those bad people at the time and we were still in hell for four years, but she cleaned herself up for us and kept an eye on us. It was the closest I'd come to having any parent since my foster mom was murdered, and my foster dad took his own life. Both of those things happened in 1999, I think…"

My daughter leaned against me as her body shook with silent sobs. I put an arm around her shoulders and Javier held her hands in his comfortingly.

"It sounds like you and Leila were very close, no matter where her loyalties were." I noted.

Jessica nodded. "You have no idea."

"What happened to Leila?" Javier wanted to know.

"She was murdered today, a few minutes after she put the bandages and gloves on me." Jessica's voice wavered as she spoke. "Sure, Leila was misguided for awhile, but she was still a good person in the end. Leila was the first person who reminded me of what it's like to be loved like a mother. I don't know if _she_ ever had kids, but she loved Gabriella and me like we were _her_ babies." Jessica leaned her head against my shoulder. "I don't know who did it, but I heard the gunshot, and when I turned around, I saw the shape of her body lying on the ground, exactly where she had been standing. Leila didn't deserve to die like that, not after all the right she did by Gabriella and me. I miss her so much already…"

Jessica Rose finally lost all of her composure and broke down into gut wrenching sobs. She let Javier hold her as I leaned over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder and made soothing noises. Gabriella's little heart became undone and filled with pity as she heard her mother's cries of anguish. Abandoning her previous activity, she toddled over and requested to be put into Jessica's lap. Once she was seated, she seemed unsure of what to do, so she just settled for leaning against her mother and resting, content just to be near her.

My family is finally together again (plus one), and I couldn't be more thankful.

Jessica Rose is broken, there's no doubt abut that.

The kind of damage that she sustained over the years makes me wonder how she's still standing.

My daughter is broken, but she's an extraordinary example of strength and determination and courage, some things that I lacked when I was her age.

Jessica is a miracle, all by herself.

_My_ miracle.

_(Out in the bullpen)_

_(Jordan's of View)_

First I saw with my own eyes the beautiful bond of love and friendship that Calvin and his friends have with each other, and then I help reunite Detective Esposito and Doctor Parish with their long-lost daughter after she's been gone for twenty years?

What's going on, here?

(And why in the world do I keep flashing back to my terrible childhood _now,_ of all times?)

Why do I have this unshakable feeling that everything I've ever known about love and family and friendship is changing, being taken to a whole new height?

"Jordan?"

"Jordan!"

"JORDAN!"

I practically jumped out of my skin when I saw Avery watching me with concern.

"Are you okay in there?"

"I am, yes." I assured him. "You just stopped me from wandering down a path that I don't want to set foot on right now."

"Well, good." He motioned to a team of our best agents who were waiting for us in the area surrounding Kate's murder board. "It's time to go tell them about our plan. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I answered confidentially. "It's time to face the music."

Trying my hardest to keep thinking about the task at hand, we headed over to our team to begin detailing what was probably going to be the most personal rescue mission I've ever run.

**AN: **Two gold stars apiece to anyone who is still alive to press that little review button down there after my lack of updating. This thing called life happened…


	37. Talk About Bad Timing

**CHAPTER 37: TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING**

_(Precinct Hallway)_

_(Madison's Point of View)_

All of this mayhem about Alexis and LJ's abduction had everybody on edge. It was completely warranted, of course, but the baby was freaking out on me and kicking like crazy because she was reacting to my distress and doing what she could to make me stop. Of course, I couldn't calm down because Kate's daughters were missing, and she was devastated. (Watching her yell at her captain about the situation just about broke my heart because it was the first time it dawned on Kate just _how_ much she loved her girls, even if she didn't give birth to either one of them) It didn't help matters much that everyone else in the room was in a state of panic, too, and that we all knew that peace wouldn't be our friend again until the girls were safe once more.

The baby decided that she would give me hell for not being calm and began to move around and stretch out in the limited space that she inhabited, just to get on my nerves. (I was secretly hoping that this meant she was getting ready to make her entrance into the world because she had an impatient but anxious mother, a nervous father, a joy-filled aunt and two very ecstatic brothers all waiting for her to come out and join us) My unborn daughter later decided to show me that she was still pissed off at me for being so worked up by putting as much weight as possible on my bladder, thus making my need for a bathroom break my number one priority.

It wasn't until I was on the way back from there that _it_ happened.

A contraction.

Not a ridiculously annoying Braxton-Hicks contraction like the other day.

God no.

This one was _real,_ and it _hurt._

"Oh, _come on!"_

"Madison, are you okay?"

As I stood in front of the bathroom doors with a hand clamped over my belly, I saw Kate approaching me.

"No, Becks." I shook my head. "I'm not okay."

There was concern on my friend's face. "Did you have a contraction?"

"Yes." I squeezed my eyes shut as another one went through my body. "Make it stop. It hurts, and I don't like it."

Kate's voice was suddenly calm and collected while she stroked my face comfortingly. "Open your eyes, Maddie. Open your eyes, please, and look at me."

I did as I was told and let her set me down in a nearby empty chair. Kate made sure I was as comfortable as I could get before sitting down in the empty chair next to me.

"We need to get to the hospital." My friend held my hand as she spoke, and I suddenly couldn't believe that she was taking charge of my situation even though she was sick with worry about her missing children and unborn grandson, and she was heavily pregnant, too. "I'll go find Nicolas, and we'll get you there."

I shook my head again. "I don't think that will be happening, especially since I've gone through this pregnancy the same way my mom went through her pregnancies with Emily and Melissa."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, the time between her contractions, her water breaking and me being born was _exactly_ an hour." I gave my belly a pat as the baby shifted restlessly. "She said that the times got shorter and shorter with the other two."

"Wow." Kate marveled. "You think that's what's happening now?"

"I do." I nodded; face burning with embarrassment as I started crying. "I miss my mom. She should be here right now."

Kate leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead, and framed my face in her hands. Her voice was sympathetic as she spoke. "I know how you feel, sweetie. Believe me, I am the only cop in this whole precinct who knows _exactly_ how you feel and understands the pain."

We both fell silent for a moment, remembering the loved ones we'd lost along the way to get to where we were both standing now. It was truly unjust that they were gone.

…But then again, we live in an unjust kind of world…

A new voice joined the conversation. "Madison? Kate?"

My heart went faint with relief when I saw that Nicolas was standing in front of us.

He pulled me to my feet as I spoke. "I am _so_ glad that you're here right now."

"What's going on?" He asked, pulling Kate to her feet, too.

"I just had a contraction."

I closed my eyes as yet another contraction tore through my body.

How the hell did mom do this _three_ times?

…Maybe some questions are just better left unasked…

The soft caressing of Nicolas' hand on my arm brought me back to my senses.

"What are you thinking, mi amor?"

"Nothing…" I muttered.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Ye—oh…"

I stopped in midsentence when I felt something wet and very cold trickling down my legs and onto the floor. Backing up a little bit, I looked down and saw that a small puddle had formed in the spot where I had been standing. It didn't take a deep thinker to know what had just happened.

My water had broken, and my baby girl was about to make her way into the world.

After nine long months—lots of them filled with the hardest trials of my life, and at least six of those months were filled with the biggest adventures and most heartwarming moments I've ever experienced—I was finally going to be able to hold my baby girl at long lost.

**AN:** That whole thing I put in there about Madison's mom going through short labors like that? Well…that really happened to my friend's mom, so I know it can happen. Oh, and gold stars = reviews :D


	38. Unexpected Delivery

**CHAPTER 38: UNEXPECTED DELIVERY**

_(Precinct Hallway)_

_(Kate's Point of View)_

It went without saying that Madison's baby girl was coming now, and that she was coming quickly. This was clear when Madison's knees suddenly buckled from the pain and Nicolas had to react very quickly to keep his wife standing upright. Ignoring the twinges in my belly as my own baby started pondering their debut, my brain started going into cope mode.

After catching the attention of a nearby rookie and ordering her to fetch a mop and bucket to clean up the mess, I guided Madison to the break room that Lanie and Esposito had just vacated. (They had two girls in tow with them, but I had no time to think about it because I had more pressing matters at hand) I sat Madison down on the couch and let Nicolas fuss over her while I figured out what to do.

Me helping Madison across the crowded bullpen in her condition didn't go unnoticed by the others because I saw Esposito, Lanie, Ryan, Castle and Captain Montgomery standing in the doorway.

Leave it to Ryan to state the obvious. "Is Madison in labor?"

"Yes." I nodded. "Where are Emily and Juliana? I need their help right now."

"They both stepped out to get some food for the troops." Captain Montgomery answered. "They left about five minutes ago."

Fantastic. Neither one of the people who could help me out weren't even in the building!

"What can we do to help?" Castle inquired. "Something tells me that you and Madison won't be making it to the hospital any time soon."

The words had barely left his mouth when Nicolas came hurrying out of the room like someone had lit a fire under him. He stopped when he saw me.

"Madison just sent me to look for her sisters," He explained in a slightly frazzled tone. "And she _really_ wants to talk to you, Kate."

I shooed the others away and went into the room, kneeling down next to where Madison was laying on the couch. "What is it? You can tell me."

Madison propped herself up on her elbows and looked me square in the eye. "I can't do this, Katie." She whimpered. "This is all so wrong! Your girls are supposed to be safe, and your mom and _both_ of my parents are supposed to still be in the land of the living, but they're not, and I just don't know what the hell I'm _doing_ anymore." It was clear that Madison was upset and confused, so I just let her vent. "I love my life and the people in it, but I never expected it to turn out the way it did with it being marred by the loss of my parents, and everything that happened to my baby sister!"

Madison clenched her teeth together as she endured another contraction. I coached her through it, trying not to remember that my friend had always had a very low pain threshold. I was going to say something encouraging to her, but she continued talking.

"I need to tell you something _really_ important right now."

"_What?"_ I spoke incredulously as I pried my fingers out of her iron grip. _"Now,_ when you're in labor?"

"Yes, right now!" she hissed. "I won't be able to live with myself if I keep it on the inside any longer."

"Then by all means, tell me."

Madison looked me square in the eyes, and I shuddered when I saw that all the light had gone from her own eyes, mirroring the same look Melissa had had in her own eyes when I introduced myself to her in the grocery store six months ago. In a word, seeing the normally gung-ho Madison like this was unnerving.

"Literally the night before you and Alexis went to Emily's office, she and I had been at my place, talking about the events surrounding the night our parents died, and everything we knew about the actual night. Missy was with us, but she didn't say anything because she was still quiet." Madison ran a hand along her baby, probably trying to soothe her unborn daughter. "Emmy and I came to the agreement that what happened that night in the park was _way_ more than some random mugging. My parents were very private when it came to talking about the things they did at the office and didn't tell us much about it," Elijah and Lucy Queller had worked in the same office as my mom, and I could easily recall how close all three of them were with each other. "But we think that someone wanted my parents out of the way because they may have seen or done something they weren't supposed to."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously?"

"Hey, now! It's the only theory that makes any sense in this ridiculously huge puzzle!" Madison defended herself. "I noticed that in the months before my parents died, they were even _more_ private about their work, and they were fighting, too. The only thing is that we never knew _what_ they were working on, or what they were arguing about."

"Are you going somewhere with this, Madison?"

"Getting there!" She cried out as yet another contraction hit her. "My sisters and I think that our parents' deaths have something to do with what happened to your mom."

"What?" That really threw me for a loop. "Why?"

"None of us can pinpoint the exact reason why…it's just…instinct. Don't ask me to explain it." Madison's lightless gaze bore into my own gaze. _"Promise_ me that you and your detectives will find whoever is responsible for this evil, no matter how long it takes. _Please."_

…Anything to relieve Madison's agony…

"Yes, Madison." I nodded. "I promise."

She breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you, Kate."

The blond fell back onto the couch and whimpered in pain, bringing us both back to reality. I assumed charge of the situation once again, and tried to check on the progress Madison was making with the labor, but she swatted my hand (as a reflex) before I got too far.

"Madison," I said her name in a warning tone. "Let me help you out."

She repeated her words from earlier. "This is all so wrong! I need to be in the hospital _now._ I can't have a baby _here!"_

"You _know_ I can do this." My tone became stern. "You _know_ I've delivered babies before!"

Madison nodded and I saw the light return to her eyes as she was no doubt remembering back to different events from years past. Just when I was about to tack on a point to back myself up, I suddenly became aware that we weren't alone and when I turned, I saw Castle, Nicolas and Melissa watching us from the doorway. A stab of panic hit me when I realized that they could have overheard the conversation about my mom and Mr. and Mrs. Queller.

Castle seemed to sense this because he held his hands up in surrender. "We were only there for ten seconds, I _swear!"_

"Good…"

I glanced over at the others and saw that Nicolas had taken my spot on the floor next to his wife and was comforting her as best he could, while Melissa, on the other hand, had nestled herself behind her big sister on the couch and was holding Madison in her arms, propping her up.

When I looked back at Castle, he asked me the one question that I knew was burning inside his head. "Have you really delivered babies before?"

I nodded. "I delivered two babies when I was a rookie, and one of them was born during a hostage situation, but the others…"

Castle put a hand in the small of my back to support me. "What about them, Kate?"

"I was just a kid when this happened, but one of those babies was my sister, Evangeline…the baby mom miscarried in the car accident."

Madison chose this moment to chime in from where she was lying on the couch. "You don't have to talk about Evangeline if you don't want to, Kate!"

"Madison _Lucy,"_ I replied with my eye closed and back turned to her. "There's a time and a place for everything, but _not now."_

I opened my eyes and looked at Castle again. "I delivered Melissa, too. _That_ also happened when I was a kid, and Lucy, Emily and I were stuck by ourselves at the Queller house during a snowstorm—without power—but that's another story for another day." I thought back to my teenage self cuddling a newborn Melissa to my chest and trying to keep her warm, while Lucy recovered from giving birth, and Madison and Emily were unconscious, having passed out during the birthing process because they were too grossed out to watch. "Madison _knows_ I can help her, but she's just _really_ scared."

Castle nodded. "That's completely understandable."

Madison's panicked voice filled the air. "Katie, I don't care what the hell you're doing right now because it can't be more important than getting this baby out of me! Please help!"

I finally allowed myself to go into full cop mode as I started recalling everything I had learned at the Academy about helping a woman in labor, and started barking orders at different people. After twenty minutes of the others cheering Madison on and me guiding her through the birth, we were all greeted by the very healthy (and very loud) cries of Madison's newborn baby girl. Ryan quickly passed Nicolas a pair of sterilized scissors to cut the umbilical cord, and when that was done, Castle took off the button down shirt he was wearing and rubbed the baby down to get all of the birthing fluids off her. Castle wrapped the baby up in his shirt and handed the baby to me. I felt a surge of pride as I gently placed the baby on her mother's chest, and I watched with a happy heart as Madison greeted her daughter for the first time.

My thoughts eventually shifted gears to convincing Madison to letting go of her baby for a few minutes so she could deliver the placenta, they were interrupted when my friend beckoned me over to them.

"Oh, Maddie," I sighed softly as I stole a quick look at the baby. "She's so perfect. Congratulations."

My friend placed a kiss on the top of her new baby's head and her voice was reduced to an exhausted but content whisper as she spoke. "Thanks, Katie. Do you want to know what her name is?"

"That would be great."

Madison wore a smile of complete bliss. "Katherine Joy Beckett, allow me to introduce you to my _daughter,_ Lucy Katherine Alvarez."

My heart skipped a beat when I heard the child's name. "You kept the name that LJ gave her on Mother's Day to honor your mom…."

"Yes," Madison nodded. "And we gave her _your_ name because you've always been the strongest and bravest person I've ever known, _and_ you've always had a beautiful and loving heart. Those are some of the things that make you an extraordinary human being. Nicolas and I have been hoping for ages that little Lucy will grow up to be like her godmother."

My heart skipped a beat for the second time when I realized what she was implying. "G-Godmother? Really?"

"Only if you want to."

I didn't even have to think about that. "I do."

Madison's smile grew as I looked down at my new goddaughter in wonder. I reached out and stroked her face, and became lost in watching her.

She was so amazing.

Lucy Katherine…

A sudden crippling pain tore through my abdomen, causing me to curl up in a ball on the floor. _(Never _in my life have I felt so much pain at one time) The same fluid that had triggered the beginning of Lucy's world debut was suddenly making its way down my legs, which could only mean one thing.

My water had broken, too, and my baby was coming.

_Soon._

**AN:** Gold stars = reviews :D


	39. Perfect Moment

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **My apologies to everyone for having chapter 38 in their inbox twice. I made an epic fail in the last chapter and had to redo it so it was better. (And I was up until 3 in the morning writing & uploading, so I was tired…) Moving on… Aayu, my dear, this one is yours! :D

**CHAPTER 39: PERFECT MOMENT**

_(Out in the bullpen)_

_(Jordan's Point of View)_

While Avery and I were out in the bullpen detailing the rescue mission to our team, one of Kate's heavily pregnant friends, Madison, went into labor and her baby was born very quickly. It took all of focus and concentrations to ignore my maternal instincts as they tugged at my heartstrings because I really wanted to go help them, but I reminded myself that Madison was in very good hands with Kate. When we were leaving to start the mission, I went to go check on the others quickly.

I saw Madison on the couch clutching her newborn baby to her chest and looking exhausted but very content, clearly in her own little world. The sight that stopped me was seeing Kate curled up in a ball of pain on the floor with everyone else hovering about anxiously, not sure of what to do.

I knelt down in the floor next to her and gave her a soothing rub. "What is it, Kate? Is your baby coming now?"

She made an effort to lift her to look at me, making it clear that she was in all kinds of pain. "Yes, he is. My water broke about a minute ago, but I'm in so much pain that I can't even think about moving."

Still giving Kate a backrub, I looked up at Castle and narrowed my eyes dangerously at him. He automatically backed up in fear. "Come here and pick Kate up. She _needs_ you right now."

Castle practically tripped over his feet as he rushed over to pick her up in his arms. As I got to my feet, I saw Emily and her friend Juliana poke their heads into the room to investigate the situation. (I think they had been out getting food for everybody) Taking charge for a few minutes, I ordered Emily to get on the phone to call ambulances for Madison and Kate before addressing the rest of the room at large.

"It would appear that most of you have heavily pregnant family members, or family members who are in need of medical attention from the maternity ward, so I don't want to hear anyone argue with me when I say that you're _all_ going to the hospital, whether you like it or not!"

There was a general murmur of agreement from the others at my words. Satisfied, I hurried out to my team so we could finally begin the rescue of the Castle girls.

On the ride out the outskirts of Manhattan, I did everything I could to concentrate on the task at hand, and not the course of events that led me to where I am in life right now.

Again: why are all of the basic values of life I thought I had nailed down a long time ago suddenly changing right before my eyes?

Nothing is making sense.

Actually, _nothing_ in my life has been making much sense lately…

_(Saint Brigid's Hospital, Downtown Manhattan)_

_(Maternity Wing, Kate's room)_

_(Thirty minutes later)_

_(Castle's Point of View)_

A little while after Jordan left us, the paramedics arrived and put Madison and Lucy on one gurney, and Kate on another. Before I knew what was happening, I was being loaded in the ambulance with Kate because the paramedics needed me to keep her as calm as possible since she was still in a bad state, _and_ in lots of pain.

When Kate became settled in her hospital bed, Emily and Juliana stopped by to check on her progress and discovered that she was already _seven_ meters dilated. That led us to asking her how long she'd been in labor, and she confessed that she'd been having Braxton-Hicks contractions since we were at the Q3, and that Molly had known, but was sworn to secrecy about it. (Neither Emily nor Juliana had the heart to point out that Kate's Braxton-Hicks contractions had been the real thing) Kate broke down in tears into tears and told us that she hadn't said anything because she was so concerned about the kids, and then actually forgot about what was going on with her body when she was helping Madison deliver Lucy because she was on an adrenaline rush and didn't crash until she did. My girlfriend felt so bad about it and cried so much that she almost threw up while asking me for my forgiveness. I gave it to her, and she finally let herself relax.

Since Kate wasn't fully dilated yet, Juliana didn't see a reason to prevent Kate from taking a little nap before it was time for delivery. Kate agreed to a nap in a heartbeat, and all but begged for some kind of knockout drug, which Juliana was happy to administer. The three of us watched Kate quickly drift off to sleep, relieved that she was going to be okay for the time being.

I thought I was going to be okay, too, but as soon as the two women were satisfied that their friend was down for the count, they both turned their attention to me with crossed arms, clearly stating with their body language that they were unhappy with me about something.

"What?" I felt like I was addressing two of Kate's very protective sisters. The scary part was that Lanie wasn't even in the room with us. "What did I do?"

"It's what you _haven't_ done, Rick." Emily's tone was exasperated as she rolled her eyes at me. "Kate loves you _so_ much. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do…"

"She's told us all lots of stories about the adventures you two had over the years." Juliana chipped in. "You should see the way her face lights up when she talks about her family at the loft. It makes us all happy to see her so full of joy."

"Well, that's good." I felt lame because I couldn't think of anything else to say.

I almost jumped out of my skin at what happened next.

Emily and Juliana spoke in unison.

"The why the hell haven't you proposed to her yet?"

A brief but surprised silence fell in the wake of their question, but I quickly broke it because I didn't want them to bite my head off, and I knew they weren't going to leave me alone until I answered them.

"Soon, ladies, I swear!"

Juliana raised an eyebrow. "Really, Richard?"

"Yes, really." I shuddered at her tone, feeling like a little kid with my hand caught in the cookie jar. Juliana is a little younger than me, but her mother hen personality has the same affect on her friends as it does on small children. "In fact, I've already tried proposing to her _twice_ tonight, and even Molly knew."

Now it was Emily's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"I was going to propose to Kate at the Q3, and Molly was in the kitchen, making Kate's favorite dessert for her. When that didn't happen, I was going to propose to her after a little talk we had in our room at the loft, but Molly knocked on the door and told us that it was time to go to the precinct." I explained patiently. "Now I'm just waiting for the perfect opportunity, probably when the kids are home safe and there's no chance of being interrupted."

Emily gave a nod of approval while Juliana added in one final thought. "The kind of opportunity you're waiting for: it's the kind where you'll know it when you see it, right? The kind that a writer like you would see as a perfect moment, while the rest of us would just see something ordinary?"

"Exactly." I nodded, surprised by the doctor's choice of words. "That's _exactly_ the kind of moment I'm waiting for."

Once more satisfied, the two of them bid me farewell, saying that they'd be out in the waiting room with everyone else if I needed them. When they were gone, I looked back at the form of the sleeping woman on the bed.

_Soon, my love._

_Very soon._

_I promise._

**AN: **Reviews = gold stars! I want five reviews before chapter the fortieth is uploaded :P


	40. Mission Accomplished

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This one is for Writer200. You'll know why ;)

**CHAPTER 40: MISSON ACCOMPLISHED**

_Alexis' Point of View_

As I came to from being unconscious, I suddenly became aware that LJ was pleading with the Dragon, and her little voice was full of desperation.

"I _sorry!_ I _promise_ to be better!"

Assessing the situation, I looked over at the Dragon and saw that his two thousand dollar Italian shoes were covered in puke. I mentally applauded LJ for puking on him as I moved like lightning to pull her from harm's way.

"Do _not_ touch my sister!" I snarled, feeling more like a mother bear by the minute. "What she did was an accident. It's not like she _meant_ to throw up on you!"

"Be that as it may, Alexis," he replied angrily. "She still needs to be punished!"

"NO!"

I pulled my little sister closer to me as the Dragon prepared to strike, and waited for the blow to come, but it never did. Daring to look up, I felt relieved when I saw that he had his back turned to us because Jerry, Elise and Chloe were speaking with him in hushed tones about something. I tried to listen in on their conversation, but my attention was diverted when I felt a sharp pain in my lower belly again. I'd already felt the same kind of pain earlier, but I began to panic because I had the distinct impression that this new twinge of pain was closer together than the last one had been.

I knew this meant that I _had_ to be in labor, so now it was just a matter of time before my water broke, and I _really_ had to worry.

…I just hope that God can hear me when I pray that the baby isn't born _here._ (Wherever here is) I don't think I'd be able to bear it if something went wrong after all this time, and the baby didn't make it…

The pain in my belly made me cry out, and I was ignored by everyone in the room except for LJ. Bless her little heart, she crawled over to me on her hands and knees and spoke in a very compassionate voice.

"Squishy coming for real now?"

There was no use in lying to her, even though she's so little. "That's right, Lily Joy."

Despite the fact that she was probably more scared than she's ever been in her whole three years of life, a ghost of a smile flickered over her face at the mention of her real name. Sitting on her knees, my sister began to run her tiny hands over the mound in my abdomen that was housing her baby nephew. When she spoke, I realized that she was trying to return the favor of being strong by taking my mind off our situation.

"Your tummy _really_ hard, Lexie." She observed, giving it a quick pet. "Feels like a rock."

This was true. My belly had gone rock solid in the middle of my second contraction. "It feels like that because the baby is getting ready to come out now."

"Mama essplained how." LJ nodded, probably remembering back to the other day when Kate sat her down for a talk about the birds and the bees. "It was _really_ funny…"

Her voice trailed off and she suddenly looked like she disappeared inside her own thoughts for a minute. In an effort to bring her back to reality, I waved a hand in front of her face. She jumped slightly, and looked at me, waiting for a question.

"What are you thinking about, little sis?"

"Why Squishy's daddy never here? I know Ashy not it." Her question was a blow to the gut, but I let her keep going. "He no love you an' Squishy? _Ashy_ loves you an' Squishy."

I pulled her close to me for a cuddle; shuddering at the pain I felt and answered her questions as best as I could.

"You're right, LJ. Squishy's daddy isn't Ashley. He's never around because he lives in a country on the other side of the world called England." I was talking to her like this because I knew she was smart enough to understand my words, but I wasn't about to tell her that Conrad was actually in the room with us. "He doesn't love me because he has a mean heart."

"Like mommy?"

My sister's question was innocent enough, but I felt my heart break a little because I knew she meant our biological mother.

"No, sweetheart." I absently brushed her long hair out of her face. "Not as mean as mommy."

She just nodded and posed another question. "Lexie love Ashy?"

"Always."

"You gon' marry him, someday?"

"I really hope so, LJ."

Still on her knees, she rose up so she was as close to eyelevel with me as possible. "One day, when I get big like mama an' daddy, I marry my Zeke."

"Oh, really?"

She nodded again. "Si. I marry my Zeke, an' Mo gon' be in our wedding 'cause we promise, an' you say that bes' friends _always_ keep promises, right?"

"Yes," I told her, remembering a conversation that we'd had earlier this morning. "I did say that."

LJ's face lit up as she felt proud of herself for remembering. "When I get bigger an' all grown up, Zeke an' I will have baby, too, an' guess what?"

"What?"

"We give him Ashy's name 'cause Ashy makes you happy, _an'_ that way, I have Ashy, jus' like you." My heart was bursting at the seams with love for the amazing child in front of me. "You marry Ashy 'cause he makes you so happy, an' cause Ashy's love wins."

I was so moved by LJ's words that I gave her lots of hugs and kisses, and my heart became light when she didn't try to push me away, but instead burrow closer to me. I would've gladly stayed like that, but the sound of the others' footsteps on the hard floor coming closer to us brought back to the present with a screeching halt. LJ immediately tensed up in my arms, well aware that we were in danger again.

"The Feds are on their way here." The Dragon spat. "Our little runaways from this morning must've tipped them off, somehow…"

Hearing that _two_ people had successfully escaped from this night nightmare, I became curious, but didn't show it.

"What are you going to do?" I asked in the bravest voice possible. "You wouldn't _kill_ us, would you?"

The Dragon pulled out something from the side of his pants, and I was horrified when I realized that it was a gun. My stomach became knotted with worry immediately, and it caused me to have another contraction, and I pulled LJ even closer to me out of instinct, so I could keep her as safe as possible.

Our captor saw my worry and laughed. "Don't worry, Alexis. I couldn't kill you, LJ or the child inside you. I couldn't kill my family."

"We are _not_ family!" I yelled, ending my words in a scream as I experienced the most painful contraction yet.

He ignored my words and looked down at his gun. "This is a Walther P99 semi-automatic pistol, and it's a powerful little sucker," he informed me. "And like I said, I couldn't kill my family. That would be a waste because then there would be nobody to tell the world about who persuaded Leila Ryan or any of the Coonan brothers to join the almighty Irish mob. There would also be nobody to tell the world who it was exactly that's held _scores_ of prisoners hostage—adults and children, alike—during the drug wars, or who ordered the hits on Lucy and Elijah Queller, as well as Johanna Beckett. They sure as hell wouldn't be able to tell the world who ordered the attack on Elijah and Lucy's youngest daughter, Melissa…"

I suddenly felt very ill as I realized that this man was responsible for inflicting horrible tragedy on every person I hold close.

"Oh, my God. This is _not_ happening!"

"Sadly, it is," the Dragon didn't sound the least bit sorry to me. "And I know that you won't be repeating anything you're hearing right now any time soon because it would _destroy_ everyone you love."

I could only nod in agreement, even though it hurt my heart something fierce to do it. There was no doubt about it now: I was suddenly _way_ in over my head, and I probably now knew more about than Kate did about her own mom's murder, and I didn't even have to think about it to know that I knew more than anybody did about the Queller tragedies.

…I've obviously found my way deep into the heart of a conspiracy, and the man standing in front of me is _obviously_ the brains of the outfit…

"Good girl." He praised. "I won't kill you because you are now the _key_ to solving several mysteries in the lives of your loved ones. I guess I could say 'mission accomplished.' That has a nice ring to it…" What the hell! Now that I know all of these, terrible secrets, it means that _I _am the Dragon's _biggest_ pawn! "However, there are _some_ people," he cocked his gun and turned towards Jerry, Elise, and Chloe. All three of them became paralyzed with fear when he aimed the gun at them. "Can afford to be eliminated."

Without another word, he pulled the trigger on his gun several times, and in the blink of an eye, I watched three bodies fall, each one of them dead before they hit the floor. I put my hands over LJ's eyes so she couldn't see it, but I couldn't stop her (or myself) from screaming in pure horror.

…I had just seen _three_ murders…

Just as soon as it began, the Dragon was done and out a back door, gone.

The Calvary didn't arrive until a minute later.

_(Jordan's Point of View)_

My team and I were in the location that Jessica Rose had described to me, and it turned out to be a huge abandoned warehouse next to an equally abandoned brick building. Jessica had also tipped me off that there were a number of illegal drugs, including cocaine, as well as a dead body inside the brick building, so even though my team didn't normally deal with narcotics, I wasn't about to pass this chance up to make a drug bust, so I sent a few people in to investigate before we headed into the warehouse. (I'll have to remember to reward Jessica later on for giving such a good and accurate description of the place, even for a blind person) We hadn't been in the building for even five minutes looking for Alexis and Lily Joy when there' was the sudden sound of gunshots, quickly succeeded by the screams of the girls.

We headed in the direction of the screams and my team stormed the room. They investigated the three dead bodies on the floor, as well as the back door that was just closing, showing that someone had just left. Looking around, I spotted an area of the room lit up by lamplight and hurried over to find an old smelly mattress being occupied by Alexis and Lily Joy.

I knew I was supposed to be professional about the rescue mission but I couldn't stop myself from going into mom mode when I saw them because Alexis was doubled over in pain, clutching her belly and yelling her way through a contraction. Lily Joy was in her sister's lap, holding tightly onto Alexis' shirt and I knew without asking that she was scared out of her mind, but the look she was giving me told me that she was full of distrust, making me remember that Castle had warned me that Lily Joy had a problem with trusting new people, especially women.

Shooing my team away, I approached the girls cautiously, so as not to freak them out any more than they probably already were, but when I got closer and saw the girls' faces, I stopped short.

Oh. My. God.

Alexis and Lily Joy are _Meredith's_ kids. They're spitting images of their mother, and I would recognize those big beautiful blue eyes on the girls' faces anywhere.

Oh. My. God.

Quickly pushing those thoughts aside, I knelt down on the mattress next to them, and I was not all surprised when Lily Joy continued to give me the evil eye. Alexis' pain seemed to have subsided for the time being because she was sitting up straight and was speaking with a labored effort.

"Who are you?" she asked, voice tinged with fear. "Please don't hurt us!"

"My name is Jordan Shaw, and I couldn't do anything of the sort." I told her kindly. "I'm an FBI agent."

The teenager furrowed an eyebrow. "Are you Calvin's mom?"

"Yes." I nodded, relived when she became visibly relieved at my confirmation. "I'm here to rescue you and Lily Joy. Are you going to be okay to walk?"

"Probably," Alexis massaged her lower back with her free hand and groaned softly at the pain she felt. "But I need LJ to get off me first."

I glanced at the little girl and saw that she was practically glued to Alexis' front side. As I approached her, she hissed at me like a pissed off mother goose, making me remember how Meredith had done the same the thing at that age…

When Lily Joy—or LJ, as she was nicknamed—spoke to me, her voice was full of fierceness, but the fear was still evident.

"GO 'WAY!" the tiny redhead yelled at the top of her lungs. "NOW!"

I tried to be as calm and patient as I could be. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm not going to hurt you."

LJ continued yelling, and I couldn't blame her at all, because I probably would have, too, if it was me in her place.

"NO! DON'T _WANT_ YOU! I _SAY_ GO WAY _NOW!"_

Even though Alexis was still in lots of pain and both she and her sister were in different states of shock, she let the little one lean against her belly. Alexis gave LJ a backrub as she addressed me.

"My sister has a hard time trusting new women in her life, especially redheads."

I raised an eyebrow, trying not to think of what kind of havoc Meredith had wreaked on her daughters. "Why is that? What happened?"

Alexis replied in a blunt manner. "Our mom abandoned LJ at our place in the spring…and mom has bright red hair."

…Oh, Meredith, there's going to be _hell_ to pay when I find you…

I filed Alexis' words away as I tried approaching LJ again, this time with an arm outstretched to show her that I meant no harm.

"It's okay, LJ." I cooed sweetly, slipping even further into mom mode. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She spoke to me in a calmer voice. "Promise?"

I nodded. "Yes, I promise. Will you let me hold you, please?"

The little girl furrowed an eyebrow, still keeping her distance. "Your name Jordan?"

"That's right."

"You gots a _real_ pretty name." she complimented.

"Well, thank you." I smiled. "So do you."

This drew a smile from her, and I was amused when she answered me in Spanish. "Gracias, Jordan."

"You speak Spanish?"

"_Spanglish." _She stressed and watched me for a few more seconds. "Is you Calvin's mama?"

"Yes, I am."

"I like Calvin _lots._ He an' Missa paint my feet once." Her face lit up happily and she leaned forward a little bit. "Know what, Jordan?"

I humored her, glad that she was warming up to me. Some things just can't be rushed. "What, LJ?"

"Calvin gon' marry his Missa one day 'cause he loved her like how Ashy loves my Lexie."

Calvin talks about Melissa constantly and has a picture of her on his bedside table at home. That was how his father and I figured out that they were in love, but it was nice to see someone else talk about them… even if that person was only three.

"Well, I'm so glad that you like Calvin." I told her. "Guess what else you're going to like?"

LJ's face lit up even more. "What, Jordan? Please to tell me!"

"You're going to like getting out of this place because that means you'll get to see Calvin and Melissa, _and _your mama and daddy. They're all so worried about you."

The little one's face became clouded with concern for a minute. "They worried 'bout Lexie an' the baby, too?"

I nodded. "They sure are."

"Please to go now?" she held her arms out to me. "Please to go see mama an' daddy?"

Standing up, I scooped her up in my arms and gave her a quick hug. "Yes, precious girl. We can go now."

LJ leaned against me, feeling content for the long time in a long time, and stuck her thumb in her mouth for a minute. She didn't even make a fuss when I switched her to my hip, so I could bend down to help Alexis to her feet. (But it didn't escape me that LJ's hands were fisted tightly on my shirt sleeve and one of my vest pockets, meaning that she would more than likely raise hell if we were separated before she was reunited with her parents)

We barely made it into the ambulance before Alexis had another contraction. She made it through that one trying her hardest not to swear in front of her sister, even though the pain was wreaking havoc on her body. When that was over, she begged the paramedics for morphine to ease her pain, not letting them get anywhere near the lower part of her body until then.

It was going to be a long ride back to Saint Brigid's hospital, but all that mattered now was that everybody was safe, and that we all escaped with the least amount of injuries as possible.

Mission: accomplished.

**AN:** I'll give gold stars to my reviewers _if_ they leave reviews, of course, but I'll give out three apiece for checking out _Cheap Thrills,_ by my friend Celeste J Evans! If you're looking for a great comedy piece, it's perfect :D


	41. Reunions

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Special shout out to castlelover100 for having the 230th review! 230 gold stars for you!

**CHAPTER 41: REUNIONS**

_Jordan's Point of View_

Once we finally started our journey back to the hospital, the paramedics examined Alexis and saw that she was seven centimeters dilated, and not the full ten, so she still had awhile to go yet. (She was also luck because her water hadn't broken yet…but I wouldn't be surprised if it broke soon) Seeing that Alexis was in a considerable amount of pain, the paramedics gave her some morphine to ease it, and they gave her a drug to slow down the labor so nothing too drastic happened before it needed to. When Alexis was doped up and relatively calmer, she focused her attention on where I was sitting on the other side of the ambulance cuddling her sister.

"Jordan, do you know what's going on with my family?" she asked. "Is mom in labor yet? This whole thing has probably done a really big number on her head…"

When she asked about her mom, she obviously meant Kate, and not Meredith.

(It's a safe bet that Alexis probably has as much contempt for her biological mother as LJ does)

"Your mom is in labor at Saint Brigid's hospital in downtown Manhattan," I replied. "And she's probably very close to having your little brother or sister by now."

A genuine smile crossed the teenager's weary features. "LJ and I are so close to being big sisters! It's so exciting!"

I smiled at her childlike enthusiasm. "Madison Queller had her baby, and your mom delivered the child."

"Go, mom…" Alexis murmured, very impressed. She was quiet for a second and looked like she was going to say something else, but she changed her mind and changed gears even more. "Maddie and Nicolas didn't reveal until three weeks ago that the baby is a girl. What's her name?"

"Madison named her baby Lucy Katherine, and I'm pleased to say that Lucy is very strong and healthy."

Alexis breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you know anything about my friends Jenny or Lanie?"

"They weren't in labor, the last time I checked, but Lanie and Detective Esposito…" my voice trailed off as I remembered the heartwarming reunion between them and their daughter.

"What?" Alexis prompted. "What about Lanie and Esposito?"

"It turns out that they had a daughter together about twenty years ago, and she and her little daughter resurfaced at the precinct a little while after your dad called me in to help find you and LJ."

Alexis was clearly intrigued. "What's the girl's name?"

"Her name is Jessica Rose, and her daughter's name is Gabriella." I answered. "Both of them are blind to different degrees, but Jessica can still see enough to the point where she was able to give me a pretty accurate description of where you and LJ were."

The younger woman was taken aback by this. "How did she even know to _begin_ with?"

"Jessica and Gabriella were there for quite sometime, and they overheard the kidnapping plot. They escaped this morning."

"Wow." Alexis breathed in awe. "I _really_ hope I can meet Jessica later. I _really_ want to thank her for being so brave…"

She finally let herself relax completely, and I couldn't stop myself from breathing a sigh of relief. Even though she isn't my daughter, I couldn't stand the thought of her in pain, especially since she was already in such a vulnerable state.

Confident that LJ was safe in my arms, Alexis didn't try to push me away when I made small talk with her. That made the rest of the ride to the hospital fairly quick for everyone who was involved, and I think Alexis was thankful for that because it helped her to come out of her shock a little easier. (It was going to take LJ a little while longer, but a good sign that she was making progress was that she was now sitting in my lap facing outward and leaning against me as she sucked her thumb) The fingers on her free hand were wrapped tightly around my own fingers and I held her close and rested my hands on her torso.

…This darling little child has been through a _lot_ and has seen too many things that she shouldn't have seen in her short life, but she is still the bravest little girl I know…

_Alexis' Point of View_

Once we got to the hospital, I had to wait before I could go upstairs to the maternity wing because there was a major traffic jam in the Emergency Room, seeing as heaps of injured passengers from a bus accident were brought in right before we got there. Emily's husband, Thomas, heard through the grapevine that we were back, so he saw to it that we were able to get a section of the room sectioned off to ourselves. He even took care of me for a few minutes after Jordan helped me change into a hospital gown.

"I'm sure there are a million things on your mind right now, Alexis," he spoke patiently as he hooked me up to a new IV drip and a fetal monitor. "But tell me at least one thing, and I'll do what I can to help you."

I asked my first question without any preamble. "Can you tell me how my parents are?"

"Your mom's water broke about an hour ago, and it's safe to say that she can start pushing soon. As for your dad, he hasn't left her side once since arriving here."

I shook my head and chuckled a little. "That sounds just like him. I hope he proposes to her soon…"

Thomas just smiled. "Anything else I can do to help?"

"Where are Ashley, Calvin and Melissa?" the pure _need_ for the company of my loved ones suddenly hit me full in the face. "I _need_ them _now!"_

"I'll go get them now." Thomas answered quickly. "If you aren't here when we get back, please don't worry. I _will_ find you."

I nodded at his words and watched him go. When I was alone with Jordan and LJ, the latter of the two spoke up.

"What's goin' on, Lexie?" her voice was timid. "Where mama an' daddy?"

I turned over to face her as best as I could. "They're upstairs in this hospital somewhere because mama's baby is coming, too."

My little sister's eyes grew wide as she realized exactly what this meant. _"Nemo_ comin' t'day, jus' like _Squishy_ is?"

"That's right." I nodded. "Pretty crazy, huh?"

Ever the drama queen, LJ pretended to swoon and landed against Jordan's chest nodding with a small smile.

Jordan herself was very amused by this and whispered something into LJ's ear, causing her to shriek with laughter. It made my heart go faint with joy to hear my sister so happy again.

…Even though LJ is my sister and not my daughter, I've always wished that I could stop the world for her so she could always stay as warm and loving as she always is…

…But now that we both know what it's like to be abandoned by our mother and have our hearts glued back together by Kate Beckett's love, and now that we survived being hostages of the man who is apparently the head of the _Irish Mob, _I now know that no one will _ever_ truly be able to understand the diving force between mine and LJ's bond. (No one will understand because the weren't there with us) My sister and I were strong together before—even on the day that we first met—but now we're stronger than we ever were, and we'll be that way for life…

_Jordan's Point of View_

I watched Alexis as she disappeared inside her own thoughts and decided to just let her be. The poor thing had had a long night, and it was far from over for her because she still had a baby to bring into the world. She needed _lots_ of rest.

So did LJ, for that matter…

I looked down at her and realized for the first time that she was really dirty and smelled like she had soiled her clothes. Her hair was also very greasy and tangled, and I knew that the next order of business was getting her clean.

Those were the thoughts I was thinking when the curtain pulled back to reveal a visitor. The girls looked up to see if it was someone they knew, but immediately lost interest when they didn't give any signs of recognition. The new person was a slightly older doctor, and she gave off a no-nonsense kind of vibe that made me pull LJ a little closer to me instinctively to protect her, just in case anything went wrong.

"Is this LJ?" the doctor spoke in a business tone that wasn't too friendly at all. This doctor looked to be a little older than me—and I'm on the wrong side of forty—and I suddenly got the feeling that she might be a little old fashioned. "My name is Doctor Hawthorne, and I've been assigned to this case."

"Yes, this is LJ and I'm Special Agent Jordan Shaw, of the FBI." I showed her my badge briefly and looked back down at LJ. "Can you be polite and say hello to Doctor Hawthorne?"

The little girl wore a scowl on her face and gave me a resounding "No!" before turning her back on the doctor. (It made me wonder if she was picking up the same bad vibes I was) I looked at Doctor Hawthorne apologetically.

"LJ and her sister have just survived a very traumatic experience, and I think she's still in shock."

Doctor Hawthorne nodded. "That makes perfect sense, given that she's so young," She paused and took a step closer to us. "But I'm afraid that I need to take her with me so she can be fully evaluated."

These words caught LJ's attention and made her sit up, but her fists were still balled up in the cloth of my shirt. I saw the look of panic in her eyes and I quickly tried to think of how I could reassure her that we wouldn't be separated, but I was too late because the little girl went berserk and started raising holy Hell.

"NO WAY!" she screamed loudly. _"NO!_ I STAY WIF JOJO AN' LEXIE! NO GO WIF YOU!"

I was touched by the nickname she had given me, but became distracted when I saw that Doctor Hawthorne was taken aback by LJ's outburst, but smirked when I realized that the doctor wasn't used to having her authority challenged, much less by a child.

"Come on, LJ." Doctor Hawthorne tried. "Don't you want to be nice and clean before you see your parents?"

She extended a hand towards LJ as a peace offering, only to have it rejected when the tiny redhead stared poisonously at it before fixing the older woman with an equally poisonous stare.

"NO!" LJ screamed again, showing us all that she wasn't entirely out of her state of shock yet. "I STAY WIF JOJO AN' LEXIE! I WAN' EMMY AN' ANA! _NOW!"_

When LJ used the names Emmy and Ana, I knew she meant her parents' friends, Emily Ryan and Juliana Singh. I'd met them both at the precinct and knew that they were both doctors at this hospital.

I had scarcely processed the thought when the curtains were pulled back again, and both of the ladies in question entered our little area. They both smiled at the girl at the girls and Juliana gladly picked LJ up when the little girl accepted the invitation. Juliana wasn't even phased when she saw how dirty LJ was.

She spoke sweetly to the frightened child. "Did Emily and I hear someone say our names?"

LJ switched gears at the drop of the hat as she cuddled with Juliana. "I did! I did, Ana. I missed you an' Emmy."

"Well, you're home now," Juliana gave LJ an extra big hug. She was behaving as if she went through the experience of a missing child, just like Kate and Castle did. "And your parents are going to be so happy to see you."

"Good." LJ chirped happily. "Wan' see them."

Juliana gave LJ a small kiss on the cheek. "We'll go see them soon, dear one. I promise."

LJ leaned against Juliana's shoulder and gave a contented sigh. "Okay, Ana. We do bird feed now? Seals the deal. Always."

Juliana nodded and shifted LJ to her hip so she could hold out her fingers, but held them out so they were bunched up, like she was using her fingers as pincers. LJ repeated the same motion with her own fingers, and just when I thought things couldn't get any more fascinated with what they were doing, they tapped their fingertips together, like a secret best friend handshake.

I quickly remembered that Alexis, Emily and Doctor Hawthorne were still nearby. Glancing at Alexis, I saw that she looked all right for the time being, but she wasn't looking at me, and her eyes were flicking back and forth, as if she was watching a tennis match.

I followed her gaze to the two doctors and saw that they were arguing.

Emily was clearly winning.

"Your bedside manner is _terrible,_ Doctor Hawthorne, and it needs some _major_ improvement! You are _scaring _Lily Joy!" Emily was saying, trying not to raise her voice too much. "You are to stay away from Lily Joy and her whole family from now on!"

"But I was assigned by—"

Emily cut her off. "I don't care because I am taking you off the case. Leave now!"

…Emily Ryan can't be more than 5'4" but for such a tiny woman, she sure can stand her ground…

Doctor Hawthorne obviously knew better than to argue with Emily, so she just gave an irritated huff and left us alone. We all looked at Emily to see that she was still fuming a little bit.

"Ava Hawthorne is a stuffy old dinosaur who needs to retire," she grumbled. "And she just can't stand it that a 'crazy young upstart' like me—and I'm not even thirty yet—is her boss."

"And then there are some people like us," Juliana chimed in. "Who know that age is just a number, and that it doesn't really matter in the end."

…Looking at the two of them, I would say that they're probably ten years apart at the most…

"Exactly," Emily nodded in agreement, feeling better. "And that's what makes you and me such good friends."

LJ chose that moment to straighten up and caress Juliana's cheek with her little fingers.

"I ask you a question, Ana?"

Juliana nodded. "Never be afraid to ask questions."

"Okay." LJ answered sweetly before switching gears again. "Please to get clean right now?"

"Of course you can get clean now, sweet pea. Let's go. I'll take you."

The little girl started nodding, but cast a glance at me and then looked back at Juliana with a torn expression on her face. "Please to go wif Jojo instead? I be _really_ good!"

I was surprised by this request, but not unwilling to fulfill it. Before saying anything about it, I watched Juliana to see her response.

"Oh, LJ," she used a voice that one would use to comfort a small child. "I think that Jordan probably has lots of things to do right now."

LJ's face immediately crumbled, and she looked like she was going to have a meltdown. The fact that she was taking huge noisy breaths after every other word was an indicator that she was trying her hardest to control herself.

"Please, Ana? Jojo saveded me an' Lexie an' Squishy t'day! Need be wif her! _Please!"_

Unable to take much more of LJ's pleading because it brought back unwanted memories, I stood up and walked over to her and took her in my arms.

"I'm not too busy for you, baby girl." I told her. "I can do it."

She nuzzled her face against my shoulder affectionately, grinning happily. "Love to you, Jojo. Love to you _so_ much!"

Before I could let my emotions become too much for me to handle, I gave her a quick peck on the top of her head and turned to Emily and Juliana. "Perhaps one of you could direct me restroom, or some place where I could wash LJ up, while the other one of you finds her some clean pajamas to wear?"

I wasn't being direct with them about using my power as an FBI agent to speed things up, but they both caught my drift. After making sure that Alexis was going to be okay if we left, I let LJ give her sister and her unborn nephew one last kiss before leaving with Emily and Juliana.

_Alexis' Point of View_

I hadn't been alone for even a minute when the curtains were pulled back for the umpteenth time, but this time to reveal Ashley, Calvin and Melissa. I couldn't help myself, and began to weep with joy when they came closer and fussed over me because I'd never been so happy to see my friends as I was in that moment. (But I still don't know what I'm going to do when I'm reunited with mom, dad, Gram, Grandpa Jim, and my little brother or sister) As they finished fussing over me, I realized that the morphine was starting to wear off became I was becoming more aware of the pain in my belly again, and it made me wince a little bit, stopping in midsentence.

Melissa, who is more adept at reading hospital monitors than the rest of us, realized that I was having a contraction and barked at Ashley to help me through it. She even threatened him bodily harm if he left my side _once_ during the rest of the labor. I swear that Melissa has the _strangest_ but most effective ways of showing affection for others…

Once the contractions passed, I was still in a great deal of pain, but kept ignoring it because there was something that I had to get off my shoulders. As always, Melissa and Calvin stood by (and stood guard) like two very loyal dogs while I moved over on the bed so I could pull Ashley into a sitting position.

"Ash," I spoke softly. "I'm sorry for picking a fight with you earlier. It was stupid."

He shook his head and placed a loving kiss on my forehead. "It doesn't matter anymore Lex. It really doesn't."

"Do you forgive me?"

"Of course I do."

I smiled briefly, but it ended in a grimace when I felt a brief twinge of pain. Assuring everyone that I was fine, I turned my attention back to my boyfriend.

My voice was wobbly as I spoke. "There's something I have to ask you, to make it all official."

"What is it, Lex?"

My voice became wobblier, and I was surprised I made it through the question in one piece. "I was wondering, Ashley Noah, if you would sign the baby's birth certificate as his father. You have _more_ than earned that right."

Ashley was so touched that he didn't even try to stop his happy tears. The best part of his response? He didn't even have to hesitate.

"Yes, Alexis Katherine." He answered happily. "I will, and I'm _more_ than honored."

I smiled joyously, but all conscious thoughts flew out of the window for a minute when he leaned forward and gave me the most mind blowing kiss of my life. When we pulled apart, I flushed red immediately because Calvin and Melissa were pretending to be very interested in an application on Melissa's phone. I apologized to them for getting a little carried away with Ashley, but they both waved it off when Calvin pointed out that we had been witnesses to his and Melissa's first kiss, that that had been no tiny thing, either,

A few minutes later, we received _another_ visitor. It wasn't someone we knew—and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it wasn't Doctor Hawthorne. This lady was dressed in blue scrubs and was wearing a nametag that read 'Nurse Campbell.'

"I'm sorry," she said in a voice that made it sound like was about to give a speech that she had given a thousand times. "But I need to take Miss Castle up to her birthing suite to get her fully situated. Since none of you are technically related to her or the baby, I'm going to have to ask you to wait in the waiting room until it's all done. You may visit Miss Castle and her baby then."

Ashley, Calvin, Melissa and I fell silent at Nurse Campbell's words, each one of us feeling stunned to some degree. I immediately began to see red because there was no way that I was letting them out of my sight until the baby was out of my body and was safe in my arms. A quick glance at the others told me they were feeling the same. Poor Ashley looked like he was going to cry actual freak out tears, while Calvin was keeping Melissa's arm in a vice grip hold because she was obviously seeing red, as well. I turned back to Nurse Campbell and propped myself up on my elbows as high as I could go so I could give her a piece of my mind. (The hormones were making me _that_ pissed off and cranky)

"Okay, first of all, my _name_ is Alexis! Alexis _Katherine_ Castle!" I began angrily. "And second: I have just been through a _very special_ brand of hell and I didn't think that me, my sister or my baby boy were going to make it out alive, much less see our loved ones again. They _are _my family." I shifted uncomfortably as I felt another twinge of pain, but I continued on, gesturing towards each of my friends in turn. "Ashley isn't the biological father because the baby's real father bailed out a _long_ time ago, but Ashley came along and put the pieces of my heart back together again. _Love_ is the glue that holds my family together, and blood relation has _never _mattered." A cry of pain escaped my lips before I could stop it and I gripped Ashley's hand tightly because Melissa had volunteered him to be my pain outlet. "Missy and Calvin are the baby's aunt and uncle, and they always have been. They're the baby's godparents, too, _if_ they accept," my heart skipped a beat when them nodding feverishly out of the corner of my eye. "So don't _tell_ me that my family can't come with me! I've never needed them more than I do right now, and I _can't_ be alone!" I gave a yelp of pain as I had another contraction because it _hurt_ and there was no way that I could ignore the pain any longer. "Not when the _rest_ of my family is spread to the four corners of this hospital, _and_ my_ mother_ is having a baby, too!"

Nurse Campbell became embarrassed that I'd told her off like that and promptly apologized, promising me that Ashley, Calvin and Melissa could all be in the room when the baby was born. Satisfied with that, I fell back on my bed and begged her for more morphine because the previous dose had clearly worn off by now. She quickly administered a quick dose before whisking us away upstairs.

The very best part about already being at Saint Brigid's hospital was that this was already the hospital I'd chosen (a long time ago) to have the baby in, so that meant there was already a _private_ and spacious (and slightly luxurious) birthing suite being prepared for me, and I didn't have to leave it until my son was born.

**AN:** What a ride, huh? We're inching ever closer to another baby entering their lives! WOO! Just remember that the more reviews I get, the faster I feel motivated to write!


	42. No More Tears

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This chapter is especially for Ninangel567 ;) To quote my favorite little redhead: "Love to you!" Special shout out to phnxgrl for having the 240th review! 240 gold stars to you!

**CHAPTER 42: NO MORE TEARS**

_Jordan's Point of View_

After Juliana directed me to an empty room up in the children's wing that was equipped with a shower, she showed me how everything worked and then made her exit, saying that she was going to go update our family in the waiting room. (She used the word 'family' in a casual way, but she made it sound like I was covered in the statement as well. I hardly even know Juliana, but it means the world to me that she would think of me that way, especially given the way I grew up without much love at all) After she left, Emily reappeared carrying a set of child sized pajamas decorated with ladybugs, a bottle of shampoo, and a comb, all so I could help LJ get clean and dressed.

I expected LJ to protest at having to take a bath and getting their hair combed out, but the poor little dear was so exhausted that she didn't try to fight me at all. She just went along with everything, all while trying to keep her eyes open.

When she was clean and bathed, and her hair was tangle-free, LJ let her guard down a little bit more and spoke to me in a pitiful tone as she begged me to lie down on the bed with her because she was so desperate for warmth and contact. I didn't have to hear the pity in her voice or see the desperation on her face to tell her yes. Once I took off my bulky vest and my shoes, and made sure they were out of the way, I lay down on the bed, expecting LJ to at least lie down next to me. Instead, she climbed up on top of me to snuggle and rested her head on my chest.

Nevertheless, I pulled the blankets over us and held LJ close, understanding her need for comfort all too well.

We laid there in silence for a little while, just listening to each other breathe, and as the silence settled in on us, my mind began to wander. If there's anyone who understands the hell that Alexis and LJ just went through, it's me by a long shot. I still remember the hell that _I_ went through even though it was six years ago, and a far longer time than just a few hours.

…Then again, you don't easily forget how it feels to find out that your child was badly injured trying to save you and that someone _died_ trying to help him, and you sure as hell don't forget being kidnapped and being gone for most of the year, do you? No, I thought so…

Shaking off the bad memories for what felt like the hundredth time since accepting this case, I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and called my husband's number. He answered on the third ring.

As soon as I heard his warm and familiar Irish accent, I felt at ease right away even though he was concerned. "Jordan, are you all right? You don't call that often during a case."

"I'm okay, Rafferty." I told him. "The case is over now, and I just wanted to hear your voice."

My voice betrayed me when I gave a shaky sigh, and my husband called me out on it. "Then why do you sound like you're on the verge of tears?"

I bit my lip to keep myself from trying to argue with him, knowing that it was pointless. Rafferty and I met when we were five and became best friends right away. Our relationship—before and during marriage—has never faded once, so we came to know each other inside and out.

"This case is really hitting close to home because the Castle sisters were abducted."

"Are they okay?"

"They're getting there. Nobody was hurt too badly…"

"Jordan?" he tried when my voice trailed off. "Talk to me."

"I need you to come down to the hospital." I let my guard down completely and the last part came out in a whimper. _"Please?"_

His response was reassuring. "Of course I'll come."

I was crying by now, but I quickly brushed my tears away. "Calvin and his friends were at the precinct when I got there, and they looked like they were going to fall apart, but they also looked like they were depending on each other for their own _survival._ I've never seen such a closely knit group of friends."

Rafferty chuckled. "It doesn't surprise me that Calvin would find his way into a circle of friends like that, and you know him: he lives by the saying 'friends are the family you choose.' He's come a long way since…that day."

It went without saying that he was talking about my kidnapping and Calvin getting his injuries when he had tried to save me.

My husband's voice brought me back to reality. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"Yes. I'll be okay."

"Good. I'll get the twins ready now," Right on cue, I heard my twin daughters, Justice and Jubilation run through the background, chattering happily with each other. "And we'll be there as soon as possible."

"Thank you, baby." I breathed a sigh of relief and felt a million times better already. "We're all at Saint Brigid's."

"All right. We'll be there in awhile." Our family knew this hospital _very_ well. "Is Calvin there, too?"

"He is." I answered as I gave LJ a soothing backrub when she became a little fidgety. She immediately stilled at my touch. "I met Melissa, that girl he talks about so much, and I have no doubt that they're with Alexis and her boyfriend, helping Alexis with her baby." On the day that Calvin first met his best friends, he didn't leave out the part about Alexis being heavily pregnant. "They're their own family."

"I'm so glad that he has these people in his life. He _really_ needs it." I heard the approval in my husband's voice and knew that he had a very good point. "We're heading out the door now, but we'll camp out in the waiting room when we get there."

"It'll give me some piece of mind knowing that my whole family is together to some degree." I smiled gratefully at his words even though he couldn't see me. "Thanks again, baby. I love you."

"I love you, too, Jordan."

We ended the call and I put my phone on LJ's bedside table and settled back on the bed again. Despite being relived that Alexis, her baby and LJ were all safe now, and that the rest of my family was on the way over, just to make sure I felt even more secure, I still couldn't stop the memories from my past coming back to haunt me in an endless tirade of torture.

I had to shake my head vigorously to clear it, and when I came to my senses, I felt a little hand on my face wiping my tears. LJ was wide awake now, and trying to comfort me.

"No tears, Mama Jordan. Please, no." My heart turned to mush at the new nickname, and that's when I knew that I had a place somewhere in the extended family that surrounded the little girl in my arms. "No tears. _Safe_ now."

"That's right." I murmured in agreement. "We're safe now, Lily Joy."

She smiled slightly and picked up one of my hands with both of hers and kissed it before resuming her cuddling, and the gesture made me wonder how such a small person could contain such an overwhelming amount of unconditional love.

…And now that I think about it, other than LJ's sister and grandmother, the last redhead that LJ had had some kind of relationship with was Meredith, and I knew that LJ didn't like her at all. Yet…she liked me. She _trusted_ me. But even though LJ and I had never met before today, and I was some sort of a motherly figure, _and_ I had red hair, too, LJ had _complete_ faith in me…

…Funny how things work like that…

**AN: **Reviews = gold stars :D


	43. Miracles and Confessions

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This chapter is for Krista, Baby Bird, Pixie, Reiley & Aayu :) See? Patience pays off ;) To everyone else: I'm on Twitter now, and my username is jkortenhoven. Follow me, and I'll post my progress on my writing! Apologies to everyone getting this twice! I spotted an epic fail and had to fix it!

**CHAPTER 43: MIRCALES AND CONFESSIONS**

_(Esposito's Point of View)_

When Agent Shaw left the break room, she passed by the rest of us in the lounge and ordered us all to go down to the hospital, since we would all end up there sooner or later at some point tonight, anyway. Lanie was happy with this order because she was already in labor, but unwilling to leave until she got a direct order from the federal agent. (Technically, Lanie doesn't answer to Captain Montgomery since she's a medical examiner, so she always gets very picky about whose direct orders to respond to, even during a crisis) By the time my family and I got to the hospital, Lanie's water had broken and she was almost fully dilated.

Just as Lanie was medicated and I helped her get settled in her birthing suite, I noticed that Jessica Rose was getting a little fidgety and saw her step out into the hallway with Gabriella close behind her. Lanie sent me to go check on her, promising to call for me if she really needed to. Going out into the hallway, I saw my daughter and granddaughter sitting quietly together on a bench just outside the door.

When I sat down, Jessica could sense I was nearby, so she moved closer and let me hold her close. I was glad to hold her, and I cherished the opportunity.

"What are you thinking about, Jessica?" I finally asked after a minute of silence.

"I'm just remembering back to both times I was in the hospital for baby related things." She answered softly, voice thick with emotion. "I was alone both times because Leila hadn't been allowed in with me since we weren't _biologically_ related, _and_ she was a known druggie in some circles."

The cop half of me saw a few red flags go up at the latter half of her words because they sounded suspicious, and it was as if she knew something about this mysterious Leila person that she wasn't sharing yet. I made a note to ask her about it later and directed my questions elsewhere.

"How are you feeling right now?"

My daughter laughed hollowly. "I'm feeling lots of things right now, papa, and if I told you my most overwhelming emotion, you might not want me anymore." I watched as her bottom lip trembled while she fought back her tears, and I felt my heart twist in pity. "That's why I don't if I can say what I want to."

I sighed and kissed Jessica's temple. "Mija, your mother and I love you more than you could ever know, and now that you have your own daughter, too, that's one more person for us to love. We could _never_ think about sending either one of you away." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You can tell me _anything."_

Jessica let out a deep breath she had been holding and began to speak. "I guess I'm jealous that mama has you. I know it's irrational because she's my mom and you're my dad, but, but I've never had anybody who loves me like that. I've been made fun of almost my _whole_ _life_ because I can't see too well, so I gave up a long time ago on ever finding a guy who's ever going to love me for _all_ that I am."

There was nothing I could say to that because she clearly needed a female response to her words, so all I could do was continue to hold her close and make soothing noises while she cried.

As I was trying to figure out how to console my distraught daughter, my cell phone rang, and I was very surprised when I saw who it was: my _mom._

"Hola, mama." I answered, feeling a little confused. "How are you?"

"No time for small talk, mijo." Her voice was rushed, but there was no mistaking her thick Hispanic accent. "I'm at Saint Brigid's in Manhattan with Desmond and Megan O'Malley—"

That _really _surprised me. "What? You're with _Jenny's_ parents?"

"Shush, Javier!" She spoke in a no-nonsense tone. "Am I hearing right that you and Delaney are here, _and_ she's in labor?"

"Well, yes, but how did you know?"

"Kevin and Jennifer told us. They also said something about the Castle sisters being in trouble?"

"Yes, but it's being sorted out as we speak." A sudden thought occurred to me when I realized that didn't know about Jessica yet. "Mama, are you sitting down?"

Her response was cautious. "Si…"

"Jessica Rose is back."

There was a full minute of silence on my mom's end of the line before she spoke again.

"Really, mijo?" she asked breathlessly. "My grandbaby is home after twenty years?"

"Yes, she is and she's sitting next to me," I promised. "But there's more."

"Please tell me."

I quickly told her everything we knew about Jessica, including her tattoos, her blindness and that she has Gabriella, who is also disabled. When I was done, I heard the faint sound of tears on the other end of the phone.

"That poor girl…" she sighed. "I understand if Jessica Rose and Gabriella want to stay with you and Delaney right now, but would you at least send me a picture of the girls so I can see what they look like?"

"Of course I can," I told her. "But I won't be able to talk to you again until after the baby is born."

"That's perfectly all right." She responded. "Don't let me keep you from taking care of your family, but do give Delaney a hug and kiss for me, will you?"

I grinned, knowing that Lanie would love it. "I can do that. I will talk to you later, mama."

I could hear the smile in her voice. "I can't wait."

We ended the call and I flipped through a few options on my phone before accessing the camera feature and taking a quick shot of the girls. Just as I pressed the send button, Lanie's cries of pain reached my ears as a doctor—not Emily or Juliana because they were both busy—opened the door, informing me that Lanie was ready to push but refusing to because I wasn't with her. Jessica reassured me that she was going to be okay and shooed me away to go tend to Lanie.

_(Waiting Room)_

I didn't have to wait too long after hanging up with my son to receive a picture text. Opening the message eagerly, I felt my eyes filling up with some of the happiest tears I've ever cried in my whole life.

Jessica Rose was _glamorous, _bad eyesight, tattoos and all. She is almost Delaney's spitting image, but the few subtle differences like the lighter skin, thicker hair and big ears (poor baby) let me know that my son is her father.

Then there was Gabriella, my _great_ grandbaby. There were traces of Jessica Rose in her, like the light skin and lean build, but what really threw me for a loop was her hair. It was copper red in color. No one in the Esposito or Parish families—as far as I knew—had hair like that, so she must've inherited it from her father. (I wonder what the situation with him is?) Nevertheless, Gabriella is just as gorgeous as her mother.

A gentle touch on my arm brought me back to reality. Turning, I saw my dear friend and neighbor, Megan O'Malley watching me with concern.

"Are you all right, Ophelia?" she asked.

I nodded, wiping my tears away. "I'm fine, Megan. Truly. I'm just…very happy."

Megan's husband, Desmond, spoke up. "Care to share with the class?"

"Javier just informed me that his and Delaney's long lost daughter is back." I explained, handing Megan the phone so she and Desmond could have a look. "Her name is Jessica Rose, and that little girl with her is her daughter, Gabriella."

"They are beautiful, Ophelia." Desmond complimented. I felt relieved when he didn't press me for any further explanations, knowing that I'd tell him and Megan later since they're my best friends. "They are _very_ beautiful."

I beamed proudly. "Thank you."

"There's a message at the bottom of the picture," Megan said, handing the phone back to me. "And it's for you."

I took the phone from her and began to read aloud, realizing that the message was from Jessica, but dictated by Javier.

"'Hola, abuela!'" I read to my friends. "'Gabriella and I can't wait to meet you soon…all though at the rate Gabriella is talking, her voice might give out before that even happens! Oh, well… We still can't wait to meet you! All of our love and affection: Jessica Rose Arcadia & Gabriella Delaney Parish.'"

I closed the phone was I was done reading it and stored it in my pocket before trying to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. The breathing techniques proved useless when my emotions became too much for me to handle, and I broke down into sobs, crying tears of joy.

…I haven't been _this_ happy in a _long_ time…

Megan, being the dear that she is, just held me close, letting me cry on her shoulder.

_(Hospital corridor)_

_(Jenny's Point of View)_

As much as Kevin and I were interested in hearing what my parents were talking to Javier's mom, I couldn't bring myself to concentrate because I started having contractions. I didn't have a chance to tell Kevin what was going on because he had left to go find a bathroom and I was already out in the corridor, having had a strong desire to take a walk, to see if it would calm my restless baby down.

Kate's dad, Jim, and Rick's mom, Martha, were accompanying me because once they found out I was going for a walk, they refused to let me go unless I had company.

(I was secretly touched that they both cared so much, even though I'm not the child of either one of them. Their insistence made me realize exactly where their own children had gotten their stubborn and protective streaks from)

We were halfway down the corridor when I stopped in my tracks, having felt a sudden cold wetness in between my legs as it trickled down onto the floor. I flushed red in embarrassment.

"Jenny, what is it?" Martha asked calmly, resting a hand in the small of my back. "Did your water break?"

I nodded. "Ye—OUCH!"

My sentence ended in a yell because I felt a horrible twinge of pain that I knew wasn't a normal labor pain. The pain was so unexpected and so intense that my knees gave out, making me crumple to the floor before Martha or Jim could catch me. I began to cry.

"Something is wrong!" I sobbed. "Where is Kevin? I _need_ him _now!_"

Jim sat down on the floor next to me and held me close to him while Martha got up and ran to find a nurse. She came back a minute or two later with someone in tow, but I was more relieved when I saw that Kevin was with them, and held my hand as I was lifted onto the gurney. He jogged along beside it as the doctors rushed me into the nearest emergency examination room.

"Kevin?" I called, turning to him. "I'm so scared!"

"I am, too," he confessed. "But you know that I'm by your side no matter what happens."

All I could do was nod in agreement. I was experiencing one of the biggest tests on my faith (ever), and that's really saying something because my brothers and I all had a very harrowing brush with death back in the nineties when we were all teenagers, and if things had turned out any differently, my parents would be childless right now because my brothers and I would all be dead.

…I just pray that God is watching over us right now…

Since the doctors were bustling around busily and prepping me for an ultrasound, I couldn't help it when my panic level rose up a few notches. The panic fled temporarily when I moaned a little bit as I struggled to fight back the strong urge to push. Thankfully, Emily hurried in right at that moment.

"The nurses told me that you're experiencing a lot of abdominal discomfort." She noted in a business tone as she moved to the ultrasound machine. "Let's have a look…"

"Please hurry!" I was close to sobbing by now. "Something doesn't feel right with the baby, and I _need_ her to be okay!"

"I know you do." Emily soothed as her eyes remained fixed on the screen as she moved the wand over my belly. "Just hang in there for me, Jenny! You're doing great!"

"But I feel like I need to push!"

"No!" Emily's voice was suddenly very stern and it made Kevin and me jump slightly. "No, Jenny! Whatever you do, don't you _dare_ push!"

"What?" I whimpered. "Why can't I push?"

Emily turned to me and I paled at her expression. "Jenny, your daughter is breached. She's facing the wrong way because her feet are positioned to come out of the birth canal first."

I finally lost it and started weeping openly, as did Kevin. When I spoke, I sounded like a frightened child.

"What? Why is she backwards? She _can't_ be backwards! We were here yesterday, and she was _fine!"_ I cried out in pain and Kevin did his best to comfort me, even though he was as freaked out as I was. "Can you fix her, Emily? _Please_ tell me you can fix her!"

"I can, sweetheart," Emily assured me. "But it means that you're going to have to _calm down _right now."

"Says you!" I snarled at her, emotions and hormones getting the best of me. "You're not the pregnant one in this situation, so you don't have any say!"

"I do _so!"_ Emily's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I _am_ your friend, but I'm also your baby's doctor, and I am responsible for bringing her into the world safely, but I can't _do_ that if you're freaking out on me right now." She reprimanded. "Do you understand me, Jennifer Scout Duffy?"

Taken aback by the younger woman's tone, and that she had used my real name _and_ both of my middle names, I just nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Emily." I answered meekly. "I understand."

"Good." She praised, smoothing my hair back from my face. "I'm going to operate on you right now, and in the next fifteen minutes or so, you and Kevin are going to be able to meet your daughter! How does that sound?"

I looked up at my fiancée and he smiled at me, pressing a kiss to my cheek, an unspoken gesture that showed me how excited he was feeling, now that I was calmer. I looked back at my friend.

"It sounds absolutely perfect."

The next few minutes were a blur to me, but I was aware of the anesthesiologist administering anesthesia to my belly until I couldn't feel anything, and I was _well_ aware of Kevin holding my hand and talking me through the whole procedure. Just over ten minutes later, I heard the very loud and very healthy cries of my daughter, and I felt my heart go incredibly light.

I couldn't hold her until we were both clean and I was all stitched up, so my tears were _very_ happy ones as soon as Emily placed my bundled up newborn daughter in my arms.

She was crying quietly. "Hello, my little ladybug." I cooed softly, tracing her delicate features with a fingertip. "Hush love. There's no need to cry since mama's done a lot of that in the last hour because you gave me such a fright, You're here now, and you're just perfect." My heart leapt for joy when she stopped crying and turned to blink her bright blue eyes at me. _She had recognized my voice!_ "Good job, my little ladybug! You know my voice!" I lifted one of her tiny hands to my lips and kissed it gently. "I could sit here and cuddle with you all night, but there's someone else who wants to meet you, and that's your daddy."

Ever so carefully, I passed my daughter into the waiting arms of her father, and my heart melted as I watched him talk to her. I could have stayed like that for a long time, but a gentle tapping on my arm brought me back to reality to see Emily standing beside my bed with a huge smile on her face.

"What are you thinking, Em?" I asked in a teasing voice. "Are you thinking that you want one, too?"

She blushed bright red. "No, that's not what I was thinking at all because it probably won't be happening for another year yet!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

She blushed an even deeper red, making me chuckle in amusement. I laughed even more when her tone made it sound like we were kids and she was my baby sister, begging me for mercy.

"Cut it out, Jenny! It's bad enough that that Maddie teased me mercilessly when we were kids, so the last thing I need is _you_ ganging up on me, too." She huffed. "I was _going_ to ask you what your baby girl's name is."

"Her name is Alyssa." I answered proudly. "Alyssa Rae Ellenor Ryan."

_(Maternity Wing, Lanie's Room)_

_(Lanie's Point of View)_

Completely exhausted, but filled with complete bliss, I laid back on my bed, cradling my newborn child to my chest. Just like I had though all along, the baby was a girl, and I was thrilled to pieces to have another daughter. She is amazing, and perfect in every way. Words can't begin to describe how relieved Javier and I were when we found out that she had passed the newborn test for hearing and sight with flying colors.

"Javi," I whispered tiredly to my boyfriend. "Will you please go get the girls? I want them to meet the baby now."

"Of course, chica." He got up and gave Grace and me one quick kiss each. "I'll be right back."

I watched as he stepped out into the hallway and found myself wishing wistfully that he would propose to me sometime soon. After a lifetime of friendship and just over twenty years of brutal trials and many tearful nights of wondering what became of our daughter, it was of the question that we would end up with any other person.

…Love is the glue that held us together back then, and it's the glue that holds us together even now…

The door opened and I smiled happily when Javier came in with Gabriella on his hip and Jessica at his side. Both of the girls were clearly excited about the new arrival, but Gabriella spoke first, and she was very serious.

"I gots a question for you, 'buela." She addressed me, leaning forward slightly. "I sit wif you an' the baby, please? _Promise_ to be quiet an' gentle!"

"Of course you can, Gabriella." I moved over a little bit to make room for her on the bed. "Come on."

She grinned happily as Javier helped her onto the bed. The little girl leaned in close, and I helped her touch the baby's face, so she could get the general feel of her.

"Hey, 'buela," Gabriella spoke to me in a stage whisper. "Is baby boy or girl?"

My heart broke a little bit because it was a general question like that that made me remember that the gift of eyesight isn't something one should take for granted.

"The baby is a girl." I told her.

It was clear that Gabriella wanted to squeal excitedly, but she dutifully clapped her hands over her mouth to muffle the sound, and looked back towards Jessica, who was now sitting behind her.

"What's my sister's name?" Jessica wanted to know.

"Her name," I began, gently guiding Jessica's fingers over her the edge of her sister's face. "Is Grace Jenner Katherine Esposito."

Gabriella's face lit up in pride and joy, and she spoke in an excited whisper. "I pickded that name! Grace gots the name _I_ chose!"

With that, my granddaughter leaned over and proceeded to talk to my youngest daughter in a loving tone that reminded me of the first day that LJ first referred to Grace as 'the Pixie.' While Gabriella was fawning over Grace, Javier and I looked over at our oldest daughter and saw that not only was she crying quietly, but she also looked like she had disappeared inside herself again.

"Jessica," my voice caused her to look towards me. "What's going on in your head?"

She rubbed her eyes to try to stem the flow of her tears, obviously feeling shame about crying. "I'm happy that Grace is here, mama, and I love her _so_ much, but the last time I was in the hospital, I had just lost a baby that I desperately wanted." Her voice became strained. "It was during that stay in the hospital that the doctors told me that I can't have kids anymore."

"I'm so sorry, mija." I rubbed her arm sympathetically, feeling a huge stab of guilt. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't really know." She traced a tattoo absently. "I'm happy that Gabriella and I are here and that I have a new sister; and that we were able to help with the case, but I'm also really torn up at the same time."

"You can take a walk if you want." I suggested. "That always helps me clear my head."

Jessica nodded, processing my words. "That sounds like a good idea. Maybe I can find abuela." She helped Gabriela onto the floor and held her hand tightly. "That sounds like a good idea, too…"

"Do you want help?" Javier offered.

Jessica narrowed her eyes, and I saw her walls go up again. _"No,_ papa. I may be blind, but I still have my pride and dignity, and I can't even tell either of you how I lost both of those things, and how freakin' _long_ it took to get them back." She looked like a younger pissed of version of me again. _"Respect that."_

We watched as Jessica Rose and Gabriella turned their backs on us and left the room quickly. Javier sat down next to me on the bed, looking just as crestfallen as I felt and did his best to comfort me as I cried, feeling like a failure to Jessica all over again.

_Jessica Rose's Point of View_

Ignoring the sting of regret I felt about saying those things to my parents, I left the room with Gabriella in tow. With the help of a nurse, we located abuela in a corridor near the waiting room, and butterflies started thumping in my stomach, just like when I was reunited with my parents.

"Abuela?" I held a hand out, searching for her. "Abuela, are you there?"

A strong hand caught mine and gave it a squeeze, and it was followed by the sound of a soft voice with a Hispanic accent answering me. "I'm right here, mija." I saw the outline of a woman approach me. "You are so beautiful, and I've been waiting twenty years for this moment."

I was surprised by the latter part of her statement. "Twenty? I'm _twenty?"_

"Didn't you know?"

I shook my head and started crying more as my walls fell down just as quickly as they had gone back up. "No. I had no idea, _ever."_

I felt Gabriella loosen her grip on my hand and watched her silhouette as she wandered over to abuela, and wished desperately (not at all for the first time) that I could see what my own daughter looked like.

…There will be a time when all this will come to pass, and I will be at peace…

…I hope…

…God only knows when that will be…

_Ophelia's Point of View_

I watched as Gabriella walked towards me with her arms outstretched, and it suddenly dawned on me that she _really_ couldn't see well. When she got closer, I bent down and picked her up to sit her on my hip.

"Hola, niña." I greeted her warmly. "You must be Gabriella."

"Si, 'buela." She trilled happily. "Mi name is Gabriella Delaney Parish, and I'm four!"

"Well, Gabriella Delaney," I was impressed that she knew that much about herself. "What do you say to getting some dinner?"

Gabriella's eyes grew wide, but her already thick glasses made her magnified eyes become even bigger.

"Si!" she nodded, eagerly clapping her hands. "I _really_ hungry!"

"Well, good." I placed a kiss on the top of her head, just happy to be able to hold her. "Why don't we ask your mama if she wants food, too?"

We moved closer to Jessica Rose, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. Gabriella spoke to her, and that seemed to bring her back to earth.

"Mama, you come wif us to get food?" the little girl pleaded. "Please?"

Jessica smiled and nodded. "Of _course_ I'm coming!"

Gabriella smiled back and leaned her head against my shoulder, sticking her thumb in her mouth. As she did, I noticed a flash of neon pink nylon on her wrist. I examined the nylon closer. I glanced at Jessica's wrist and noticed that she had one, too, and both of their bracelets were decorated with medical shields.

"What are these bracelets on yours and Gabriella's wrists?" I asked her.

Gabriella stepped in to answer before her mother could. "I gots a bracelet 'cause I gots ep'lepsy. Please to have a new one? Mine is too small…"

Epilepsy? This darling child has a seizure disorder that's bad enough for her to wear something to warn other people about it? She's blind _and_ sick?

Jessica spoke at this point, but it was to her daughter. "Can you tell abuela why else we have to wear the bracelets?"

"It's 'cause we gots bad blood, mama." Gabriella answered seriously.

Jessica chuckled. "Close enough."

"What exactly does she mean by 'bad blood'?" I questioned. "That can be taken so many ways, you know…"

"She means that we have one of the most uncommon blood types: AB negative." Jessica explained. "We have to wear these bracelets at all times so that people know that we'll need special attention if we ever got into a serious medical emergency."

I looked the bracelets again, and noticed how tattered they were. As I looked into Jessica's eyes and saw that she was looking at me, but not directly _at_ me, I knew if she had the same kind of glasses as her daughter, she might have a better chance at being able to see than she can right now.

"So you're both blind and you both have major reasons to wear medical ID bracelets," I said at length. "But you could both do with updated medical equipment."

"Yes," Jessica nodded. "That's all true."

"Well," I spoke, mind set with determination. "I'm going to buy you both dinner, and while you eat, you're going to tell me all about your medical needs, so I can get you two _exactly_ what you need."

Jessica shook her head stubbornly, reminding me of Javier's own stubbornness. "No, abuela. That's too much."

"Nonsense." I chided, tugging on her hand to make sure she was following beside me. "You are my grandbaby, and I want to provide for you and your daughter. I was going to adopt you when you were born so your parents would still be able to keep you _and_ go to school."

"But they put me into foster care because it was all for the best." Jessica mumbled. "Why couldn't _you_ adopt me?"

I sighed heavily and hit the elevator button to go down before answering. "I couldn't adopt you because your _other_ abuela, Susan—your mother's mother—wouldn't hear of it."

Jessica paused briefly, obviously trying to connect the dots in her head. "What happened to abuela Susan?"

"Who knows?" I shrugged. "I haven't seen that stubborn old bat since the day we buried Jenner."

"Hey, I know that name." Jessica said suddenly. "My baby sister's name is Grace _Jenner_ Katherine Esposito. Who was Jenner to my parents?"

I sighed again as the elevator doors slid open and we boarded. "Oh, Jessica Rose, there's so much to tell you. Twenty years is a long time to be gone."

**AN: **I don't know how long emergency c-sections (or any c-sections) take, so please don't get technical with me. But if anyone has any pointers, I'll take them! And as always, reviews = gold stars! :D


	44. The Littlest Castles

**CHAPTER 44: THE LITTLEST CASTLES**

_(Alexis' Point of View)_

It's always been a known fact between my friends and me—and to our families—that each of us is very loyal to the next person and that we all have the next person's back if there's every any trouble. This has been proven countless times in the past six months since Ashley and I got back together and we became friends with Calvin and Melissa.

That fact was being proved even more, now that I'm in my birthing suite, deep in labor, and only an hour or two away from giving birth while being bombarded with painful contractions. I'd decided awhile ago when constructing my birth plan that I didn't want any drugs in my system during the contractions or labor because I wanted it to be as natural as possible. (Ashley, Calvin, Melissa and Emily had all thought I was crazy to make that choice, but I was determined to make it through without any medication of any sort because I _really_ didn't want to run the risk of anything happening to Squishy) Even now, after having survived a traumatizing event, I had still rejected the epidural when it was offered, and I wasn't regretting the decision at all.

I don't necessarily believe that pain is power, or anything, but I do believe that in really big situations, like childbirth, that there is a lot to be said of a woman who did everything naturally.

"Wow, chica," Melissa spoke helping me lay back down after I made it through another contraction. "You're my hero. I can't believe you're making it through without any drugs."

"I don't even want to _know_ how you're doing it…" Ashley commented, wiping my forehead with a cool washcloth.

"It's better that you not know, Ashley." I told him. "Just trust me on that one."

"I _still_ think you're crazy…" Calvin muttered.

For that comment, Melissa threw a tissue box at him. "Just you wait a few years, and it could be _me_ in that situation! Be nice, babe!"

We all fell silent immediately after that, and the only sounds to be heard was all of us breathing, and the beeping of the fetal monitor I was hooked up to. Ashley and I were both very surprised, but didn't even bother hiding our gleeful expressions. (We'd both had a feeling that our friends were in a relationship and hiding it from us—or so they had thought—but we were both waiting for one of them to slip up about it. I was extra gleeful because I had bet Ashley twenty dollars that Melissa would be the one to have a slip-up first) Calvin blushed bright red, knowing that he and Melissa had just been busted, and because he knew that Melissa would be expecting him to say something in response to her comment about being pregnant in the future. Melissa, herself, just sat in her chair, grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

I looked at my sister-friend with a raised eyebrow. "How long, Missy? How long have you two been together?"

"Since two days before the summer ball." She answered proudly. "I'm a lot like my sisters when it comes to believing in love at first sight. Calvin," she nodded towards her very silent boyfriend. "Was the first one to bring up the topic of soul mates."

"And you think that's what's happening here?" Ashley wanted to know.

"Not _think,_ mijo. It's what I _know_ is going on here." Melissa corrected smugly.

Ashley squashed his own smugness and spoke good-naturedly. "Congratulations, you two."

"Yes, congratulations _are_ in order." I nodded in agreement, knowing that another part of Penny's prophecy had just fulfilled itself right before my eyes. "I wish you both much happiness."

"Gracias, Alexis." Melissa chirped happily. She glanced over at Calvin and laughed when he was still silent. "Don't know what to make of that comment, do you, mi amor?" A devilish twinkle appeared in her eyes, much like the kind that appears there when she's constructing a new prank to pull off. "What would you do if it was _me_ in that situation and I had also opted for no drugs? I'm not like Maddie and Emily because I've always had a _very_ high pain tolerance level."

Calvin finally spoke. "I'd do my best to support you, Melissa, and I'd also o my best to make sure that you experienced the least amount of discomfort possible. I'd do that, no matter _how_ you decided to have our babies."

Melissa smiled contently, obviously satisfied with Calvin's answer, but she still had one last question for him. "Do you think you'd faint at any point while I was in labor?"

It was Calvin's turn to laugh now. "Me? No. I don't think you'd forgive me if I did, and you'd probably break my hand or fingers, but I really don't think that I'd be a fainter." A matching devilish twinkle took up residence in his eyes as he turned his gaze to Ashley. "However, if anyone was to faint while their girlfriend was in labor, it's _definitely_ Ashley."

We all looked over at him, and sure enough, he wasn't looking so hot. Ashley was a little pale and looked dizzy. Before any of us could do anything, he crumpled to the floor in a dead faint. We were stunned and slightly amused by the sudden turn of events.

"I'm not sure whether I should laugh or n—Ow, ow! Jesus, this _hurts!"_

My comment was interrupted when I experienced another huge contraction. Stepping over my boyfriend's unconscious form, Calvin and Melissa hurried over and helped me through it. When that was all said and done, and Calvin was able to distract me from crying tears of frustration about trying to bring a seriously stubborn child into the world, we turned our attention back to Ashley.

"What are we going to do about your boy, Alexis?" Melissa's voice was full of curiosity as she stood over him. "I _could_ kiss him to wake him up, but I don't think you'd like that very much…"

"No, I don't think I would." I agreed with a laugh. "Let's think of something else."

"If Melissa's going to kiss anyone," Calvin was bewildered. "It's going to be _me."_

I smiled in amusement as Melissa sauntered up to him and placed a kiss of intense passion on his lips.

Melissa smirked, clearly enjoying Calvin's bewilderment. "You're damn _right_ I'm the only one who's going to be kissing you," she patted him on the chest and walked over to the sink in the back of the room. "And besides, I just got an idea."

"Melissa Paisley, _what_ are you up to?" I asked warily.

"You'll see, mija." She responded in a singsong voice. "You'll see."

Calvin and I watched with curiosity as Melissa picked an empty pitcher off the counter and filled it with a little bit of water, after which she walked back over to Ashley with practiced ease and knelt down next to him. Calvin and I stifled our laughter when Melissa slowly poured the water on Ashley's face, gradually increasing the amount until he woke up.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" he sat up quickly and caught the towel Calvin tossed to him and dried himself off. "Why am I all wet?"

"You fainted just when Calvin said you'd be the one who'd mostly likely be the one to do so in this kind of situation." Melissa informed him and showed him the pitcher. "I was just being a good friend and waking you up."

"Oh…hey!" He held his hands over his head protectively. "What was _that_ for?"

Melissa had swatted him on the back of the head and looked proud of herself for doing so.

"That was for leaving Alexis' side while she was in labor. I promised you bodily harm, _remember?_ I could do worse, but I'm sure that you and your girl friend still want to make lots of pretty babies after you get married, _and_ I'm nicer than that." She stood up and hauled Ashley to his feet in an impressive showcase of her strength, and gave him a shove towards me. "Now go say sorry!"

To avoid being swatted for being too slow, Ashley hurried over and sat next to me.

"Sorry, Lex." He apologized sincerely.

I gave hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry about it, Ash."

He rested his free hand on my belly and we both smiled when we felt the distinct impression of a heel there.

"He still won't come out?" Ashley asked.

"No," I complained. "And he is _very_ stubborn! God help me if that becomes his most domineering personality trait…"

My boyfriend was about to make a witty comeback, but was interrupted when there was a knock on the door.

_Calvin's Point of View_

As Melissa and I waited to see if Ashley would one-up Alexis with a clever quip, our attention and theirs was diverted to the door when we heard someone knocking on the open door. I was surprised when I saw who it was and immediately fell silent as past memories came rushing back like a stampede. I forced myself to remain in the present by sitting next to Melissa and intertwining my fingers with mine.

(She and I both seem to thrive on physical touch for comfort and security when were upset, so this was a tactic that I knew would work)

I watched the new person as she approached Alexis' bed and knew from past experience that Alexis and her baby were in the safest hands possible now. This lady was a doctor—as indicated by her scrubs, scrub cap and lab coat—and she had long black hair and big brown eyes to go along with her Japanese-American features. She wore a kind smile on her face as she spoke to Alexis and Ashley, who both seemed to be a little confused by her sudden appearance.

"Hello." She greeted my friends. "I know you were expecting doctors Ryan and Singh to be here right now, but they're both busy at the moment, so they sent me, instead. My name is Doctor Amaya Serizawa."

"Where are Emily and Juliana?" Alexis' tone got a little frantic, so Ashley did the best he could to calm her down. "They're supposed to be _here!"_

Amaya kept her cool. "From what I understand, Alexis, they are helping Jordan Shaw take care of your sister right now, but there's no need to worry because I'm a midwife, too, and I'm just as good as doctors Ryan and Singh are."

This new piece of information seemed to sit well with Alexis because we all knew that Emily and Juliana are the two most in-demand doctors in their department, and they were both at the top of their classes when they graduated from medical school. Plus, Thomas likes to brag that Emily is a prodigy, and the funny part about that is that she's so smart that there's no way she could ever deny it.

"Okay." The weariness was apparent in Alexis' voice. "This means that you're going to be delivering my son, doesn't it?"

Amaya nodded. "That's exactly what this means."

"Well, since you're going to be in charge of that," Ashley also sounded weary as he spoke, but it was because he had been so weary (and sick) with worry earlier. "May I at least introduce you to our friends? They're going to be our son's godparents."

Melissa introduced herself to Amaya in a polite fashion, but when Amaya saw me, her expression clearly said that she was just as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

Nevertheless, she greeted me cheerfully.

"Hello, Calvin." She smiled, bowing slightly, as was a tradition her family had when addressing close friends. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise." I answered, returning the bow, knowing that the others were probably very curious. "It's just a little funny to see you in the hospital again."

She nodded in agreement. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Melissa jumped in at this point. "I beg your pardon for interrupting, but do you two know each other for somewhere?"

"I'm best friend with Calvin's mother." The doctor answered her.

"Amaya and my mom are as close as you are with Alexis." I clarified for my girlfriend.

"Wow…" she marveled.

Alexis spoke up from her spot on the bed. "Calvin, does that mean that Amaya has something to do with the night that your mom was taken and you were hurt?"

There was a brief stab of panic in Amaya's eyes. "You all know about that?"

"That answers that question." Alexis confirmed, rubbing small circles on her belly.

"Yes," Ashley nodded. "Alexis, Melissa and I know about that night because Calvin told us. There are no secrets between the four of us."

Amaya hesitated, as if she was choosing her words carefully. "According to the stories I've heard from Rafferty and Jordan, you all seem to be a terribly clever lot, so I'll assume that you know that someone died that night."

"It was _your_ husband…" Ashley realized.

"Yes, it was my husband who died that night." Amaya nodded. "I also looked after Calvin when he was comatose, even though I was very pregnant and I had just lost my husband…"

A silence fell on the room, but it was very brief because Alexis let out a cry of strangled pain as her body was ravaged by a contraction.

"_Please_ tell me it's time to start pushing!" she yelled loudly. "IT _HURTS!"_

Amaya sat at the foot of Alexis' bed and checked on her progress, and we were all a whole lot happier when there was a huge smile on her face after she was done.

"Congratulations, sweetheart!" she said to Alexis. "You and Ashley are one step closer to being parents! It's time to push!"

_(Maternity Wing, Kate's room)_

_(Kate's Point of View)_

When I imagined what it was like to be in labor, I always knew that there would be pain—even though I had chosen to have a full epidural—but I never expected to be completely sick with worry over the whereabouts of my daughters, especially when I couldn't resist the overwhelmingly strong desire to push my soon-to-be born child out of my body, _and_ the doctor wasn't here yet.

"Where the hell is Emily?" I yelled through my sobs. "I _need_ her, and I need to know where Alexis and Lily are!"

Castle tried to console me, but I wouldn't listen to him because my mind was a complete mess. I didn't really calm down until the door opened to reveal the woman in question.

"_There_ you are!" I cried, feeling a tiny sliver of relief."

"Thank goodness, too." Castle added, also sounding relieved. _"Please_ tell us you have news about Alexis and Lily Joy. Kate's been going up the wall with worry, _and_ I think she's very close to breaking my fingers."

"Well, you two will be quite relieved to hear the news I have." She chirped happily. "I have seen your daughters, and they're doing pretty well, despite the circumstances."

"Who's taking care of them?" I asked, pain and misery temporarily forgotten. "What about my grandson?"

"Jordan Shaw is taking care of LJ because the two of them have seemed to have bonded for a reason that's known only to the two of them, _and_ LJ would probably scream bloody murder if they were separated." I noticed that she seemed to be holding something back, but didn't want to say it just yet. "As for Alexis, she has been reunited with Ashley and the others, and I would think that she's very close to pushing by now, if she hasn't started by now." While Emily had been updating us, she had taken her position on her stool at the edge of my bed and had put my feet up in the stirrups to see how I was coming along. "Speaking of pushing, Kate, it looks like you're ready to do the same!"

_(Alexis' room, Alexis' Point of View)_

"Come on, Alexis," Amaya was trying to coax me. "One more push, and your baby boy will be here!"

"No!" I sobbed, overwhelmed by the pain. "I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can, Lex." Ashley urged. He was positioned behind me in the bed so I would have someone to lean against. "You're the strongest person I know!"

Calvin tried to comfort her. "You've made it _this_ far."

"I thought I made it _clear,"_ I snarled angrily the two of them. "That if you don't have a uterus, you don't have any say right now!"

Ashley and Calvin both backed off immediately, but Melissa, who had wisely chosen to stay quiet, spoke up now.

"You probably don't want to hear this, but pushing that little boy out into the world is the most important thing that you could do right now." She told me, looking straight into my eyes. All of her joking around from earlier was completely gone now. "Yes, Alexis, you made it this far, and you made it safely through a hell that the rest of us don't want to imagine, but you know what?"

"What?"

"You made it through that trial, but you also got your sister and your little boy through, as well, and you did it because you _are_ strong. There were two innocent lives depending on you, and you helped them both make it through, as well." She smiled kindly at me and tucked the stray hair out of my face. "LJ is safe with Jordan now, and this one," she touched her fingertips to my belly gently, knowing that my body was highly sensitive to touch right now. "Is safe now, too. He was depending on you to get him to safety, and you made it. _Now,_ he's depending on you to help him to make it into the world to join the rest of us because you're the _only_ one who can do it, _and_ because you're his mama. I'm pretty sure that my godson—_your_ baby boy—has never needed you more than he does _right now._ Please be brave, chica. Be brave for _him."_

My best friend gave me a look of sheer determination, and I was suddenly filled with a second wind of my own determination. Sitting up, I braced myself for the last push, glad that Ashley was (literally) behind me for support.

"Okay, I can do this." I took a deep breath and released it. "Let's do it."

"That's what I want to hear." Amaya praised her from her spot. "This is the last one, sweetheart, I _promise, _but you're going to have to push for thirty seconds—"

"_Thirty seconds?"_ I yelped in a shrill tone.

Amaya nodded. "Yes, and they're going to be the most important thirty seconds of you're life, so be ready when I say go!" She barked sharply, all business. "Three, two, one, GO!"

Using all of the strength I had left in me, I held onto Ashley's hands and bore down to expel my son from my body while Calvin and Melissa held onto my feet so I didn't accidentally kick Amaya. Speaking of whom, she started laughing happily as I felt the baby leave my body and land in her waiting hands. Her laughter was drowned out by Calvin and Melissa's enthusiastic cheers as the baby gave his first demonstration of how big his lungs are and how loud his voice is.

My heart was ready to explode in complete joy when Amaya placed my son—umbilical cord still attached, still giving us a minute or two of connection—so I could talk to him.

"There you are, baby boy. I'm so happy to meet you, and I don't think you'll ever know just how happy I am right now." I whispered him softly to him, giving him a gentle kiss. His cries died down almost immediately. "I know that you'd rather be back inside my belly right now, and I totally get that, but it's okay because you and me and Auntie Lily? We're all _safe_ now."

I was reluctant to give him back to Amaya, but I knew it had to be done so she could clean him up and teach Ashley—who had been whispering sweet and encouraging things into my ear—how to cut the umbilical cord. Melissa traded spots with him and let me lean against her so I could have time to rest before having to push out the placenta. About ten minutes later, when that was said and done, and Melissa and Ashley had swapped places one more time, Amaya had tucked my son, who was now all clean and bundled up, into my arms and let me have some time with him and the others.

"What's his name?" Calvin wanted to know.

"Yeah," Melissa said. "We can't call him 'Squishy' forever, but thanks to your sister, the niño is going to be stuck with that name for life now, anyway…"

"Even _I_ don't know his name." Ashley confessed, earning him raised eyebrows from Calvin and Melissa. "Lex and I agreed a long time ago that if the baby was born a boy, she could name him."

"This is all very true." I agreed, giving my son another kiss as snuggled close to my body for warmth. "Everybody, this is Tobias Noah Castle."

A hushed silence fell over the other three as the significance of the name hit them. (I had decided to name the baby after Ashley's brother to honor his memory, and I had given him Ashley's middle name because something told me that when the baby got older, he wouldn't forgive me if his middle name was a girl's name) I looked back at Ashley to see what he thought. All that mattered to me about it was his approval.

"Is that name okay, Ash?" I asked anxiously.

"Is it 'okay'?" he echoed, a huge grin forming on his face. "Babe, that name is absolutely perfect."

Supporting my arms so he was also supporting our son, Ashley proceeded to surprise me with a totally mind blowing kiss as our friends looked on, once more cheering happily, and I knew without a doubt that he meant every word, and that I didn't want this moment to end at all.

_(Kate's room, Kate's Point of View)_

"It's a boy!" Emily cried happily. "You have a baby boy!"

I laughed weakly and fell back in exhaustion as happy tears coursed down my cheeks. Turning to Castle, I saw that he was crying happy tears, too.

"Did you hear that, my love?" my voice was barely above a whisper. "We have a _son_ to go with our two daughters!"

Castle smiled through his tears. "Yes, we do, Kate. Yes, we do." He kissed me on the lips. "You did a _fantastic_ job, and I'm so proud of you right now."

"Kate!" Emily called just above the sound of my son's crying. "Would you like to have a quick cuddle with him before Rick cuts the umbilical cord?"

"Yes." I breathed, holding my arms out to him. "Let me hold my son, please."

My friend placed my son on my chest and I cuddled him, showering him with kisses, and my heart melted when he didn't cry for long. Emily backed away to give us some space.

"Hello, there." I cooed softly to the tiny human resting on my chest. "You're completely amazing, and I can't begin to tell you how blessed and how lucky I feel, knowing that you get to call me mama."

I laid there for a minute or two as Castle leaned over and began speaking to the baby with revered awe, much like LJ always did. Emily eventually came forward, armed with a clipboard and pen.

"What's your boy's name?" she asked. "I know we've been calling him 'Nemo' all this time, and as much as LJ would be thrilled to have that be his name, I'm sure you two have something a bit more suitable picked out for your little gentleman."

"You're right about that, Em." I nodded and looked up at Castle. "Tell her, love."

Castle gladly obliged and straightened up to face our friend.

"My son's name," he said proudly with an even prouder grin on his face. "Is Jameson Alexander Castle."

**AN:** Woo! The last two babies are here now! HAPPY DAY! Happy reviews = three gold stars apiece! :D


	45. Family

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I am tweaking Melissa's age slightly, and you'll see why later on, so please don't harp on me about it. Other orders of business: special shout out to Writer200 for having the 270th review! 270 gold stars to you! Special shout out to madd09 for having the 275th review! 275 gold stars for you!

**CHAPTER 45: FAMILY**

_(Castle's Point of View)_

In the first moment of complete stillness of the night, I watched Kate with the baby as she cuddled him after he had his first-ever feeding. He was already snoozing contently against her chest, having been lulled to sleep by Kate's soft lullabies. My son was exhausted just from being _born._

I smiled at the thought that of having a son. I loved the sound of that.

My _boy._

My _son._

_Jameson._

I'm going to finally be able to do all the fun boy things with him that you just can't do with a girl. For instance, when Alexis was little, I had tried time and again to at least play in the dirt and go puddle-stomping in the park during rainy season, but she wouldn't have it because she was more interested in watching the raindrops gathering on the leaves. (What mystified me the most about my oldest daughter's peculiar preferences was that as much as she hated the idea of playing in the dirt, she could never turn down an offer to go sledding during wintertime, and after all of these years, she still can't.) Lily Joy is less girlier than her sister, but also isn't that afraid of getting dirty…even though she's been known to hesitate sometimes before jumping headlong into a new adventure with Zeke and Moses. There might be hope for Jameson after all.

As I looked back at Kate, I had a sudden flash forward to the future with her in that bed again, but this time cuddling with a baby girl, instead.

…And in that vision, Kate was (finally) my wife…

That thought suddenly made me remember that I still had the engagement ring in my pocket because the two previous attempts to propose tonight had failed.

I am _going_ to propose to Kate tonight.

Speaking of Kate, she noticed me when I began fumbling in my pocket to pick up the ring box, and she raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing? Looking for a pen to teach Jameson how to write?" she joked. "I know we named him after Jameson Rook, but it's still a little early for that, babe."

I laughed sarcastically at my partner's words. "Funny, but no. That's not what I was looking for at all."

"What was it, then?" She smiled as Jameson snuggled closer to her in his sleep, and in return, she cooed softly to him. "What do you think daddy was looking for in his pocket, little Nemo? Buried treasure, maybe?"

My heart turned to mush when she talked to him like that because I've always known that Kate has loved Jameson from the beginning when he was growing inside of her, but now that he's here and we've both held him and talked to him, Kate's love and adoration for the child we had made together was more evident now than it had ever been in the past. It's the kind of love that she for Alexis and Lily Joy: complete and unconditional.

I forced myself to come back to the present when I realized that Kate was watching me, waiting for me to talk.

"It's funny that you suggested that I was looking for buried treasure, Kate," I laughed. "Because _this_ is what I was _really_ looking for."

I pulled the little velvet box from my pocket to reveal the ring inside. Kate's attention was immediately drawn to it, and her eyes became moist with happy tears as if someone had flipped on a switch somewhere inside her.

"Oh, Rick," She whispered. "The ring is beautiful."

I smiled nervously and quickly shook the feeling off. "There are so many ways to describe just how much you mean to me, but for now I'll tell you three of those things, such as you're an amazing friend and partner, and you've somehow managed to tame my wild ways over the years, and you made me into a better man somewhere along the way, even when we've literally faced death and life together." I rested my free hand on Jameson's little back as an indication. "You're already a fantastic mother to Alexis and Lily Joy, and you've taught them what it is to be loved like that, so it goes without saying that Jameson and all of our future children are going to be just as blessed as his big sisters are. Most of all, Kate," I reached over to wipe her falling tears. _"You_ are an extraordinary woman with a beautiful heart overflowing with love and grace, touching the lives of everyone in our whole family, but guess what?"

Kate's voice was full of excitement, despite her exhaustion from just having given birth.

"What, Richard?" she asked breathlessly.

"You're all of those things and so much more, and I would be more than glad to show you what they are everyday for the rest of our lives because I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else but you." Rising from my chair, I knelt down on the floor next to her bed and held the ring up. "Katherine Joy Beckett—my partner, my best friend, love of my life—will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Kate started nodding immediately, tears falling all over again. "Yes, Richard, I'll marry you."

Time seemed to stand still as I stood and removed the ring from the box to place on her finger. Sitting down on the bed next to her, and careful not to squash Jameson, I leaned forward to give my new fiancée a very sweet but passionate kiss. It was the kind of kiss that let her know that I love her with everything in me, and that I wasn't going anywhere. Given with the way that Kate responded to the kiss, I knew that she was conveying the exact same message back to me.

_Kate's Point of View_

At the same time that Castle and I pulled away from our first kiss as an engaged couple, there was a knock on the door. Castle called out for the person to enter, and my heart almost stopped when I who it was: Jordan Shaw, accompanied by an exhausted but happy LJ on her hip.

Jordan set LJ down on the floor and I watched happily as she ran across the floor and straight to Castle for a hug. After a few moments, my daughter caught sight of me and immediately joined me on the bed for a cuddle.

"Mama," she cooed happily. "I home now. Me an' Lexie an' Squishy _all_ safe."

I gave her a one-armed hug. "I know, Lily Joy, and I'm _so_ glad." As I pressed a kid to her forehead, I saw her cast a curious glance at Jameson. "Come here. I want you to meet your new brother."

She moved closer, fascinated by the wriggling bundle in my arms. After a minute of careful investigation, LJ looked up at me with her big blue eyes. A look of awe and excitement shone in them, mirroring her father's expression when he got that way.

"Is that Nemo?" she whispered. "Is that _my _Nemo?"

"That's right, Baby Bird," I nodded. "But his name is Jameson Alexander Castle."

She tried saying his name. "Jaym'son Alzander?"

"Good try." I chuckled, pulling her a little closer to cherish the feel of her little body against mine again. "Do you want to give Jameson a kiss on his forehead?"

LJ nodded and then leaned forward to do just that, tucking her long red hair behind her ear.

"Hola, Jaym'son." She cooed to him when she pulled away. "My name LJ. I always talkin' to you to say I love you an' protec' you 'cause that's my job. I your big sis, an' so is Lexie. I hope you like her, too…"

LJ placed gentle and loving kisses on her baby brother's hands, showing us that she loved him the same as when Jameson had been growing inside me. She tore her gaze away from him and turned to Jordan, who had been observing the scene quietly. There was a distant look in her eyes, but LJ spoke up again before I could ask Jordan what was the matter.

"Jojo, please to meet Jaym'son?"

Jordan smiled kindly at her. "Maybe later, sweetie. I think that you and your mama and daddy and Jameson should have some alone time first."

I shook my head at the FBI agent and beckoned her closer. "Don't leave just yet, Jordan. You rescued both of my daughters _and_ my unborn grandson, you know."

"Yes." Castle nodded. "You're family now."

"And," I added, not bothering to hide my glee. "I'm pretty sure that it's _your_ son who won the heart of my best friend's youngest sister."

"Okay, you win." Jordan laughed as she approached my bed. "And yes, it _is_ my son who fell head-over-heels in love with Melissa Queller." Her tone took on the sound of a little friendly teasing. "But who knows? Between Alexis' baby and Jameson, and the Alvarez, Ryan and Esposito babies, maybe some of them will pair of with each other when they get older. _That_ would be something to see."

"It's _way_ too early to think about that right now." Castle complained with a shudder. "Besides, Madison's oldest son, Ezekiel, has his heart on marrying LJ as soon as they're old enough."

LJ chimed in without missing a beat. "I love my Zeke lots and _lots!"_

"And that's enough to worry about right there, especially since LJ and Zeke are _both_ little charmers." Castle finished.

I smiled in amusement and looked down at Jameson, who now out cold against my chest. Adjusting his blanket, I picked him up and held him towards the other woman.

"Do you want to hold Jameson?" I asked.

Jordan nodded, and I placed him into her waiting arms. She was enchanted with him at once, and with a jolt, I realized that if Jameson had that affect on someone like _Jordan Shaw,_ who is known as a bad-ass FBI agent just by reputation alone, that means that my son has more than likely inherited his father's charm.

…God help us all…

As I laid with LJ in my bed, and she, Castle and I watched Jordan hold Jameson and talk quietly with him, I noticed that the distant look in the older woman's eyes had been replaced with a conflicted one now, and it made me wonder a little bit more about her personal life with her family, especially since this was not the first time tonight where she looked like she had been a million miles away, even though she had been standing in the same room with us.

Castle stepped out of the room to go update our family in the waiting room, and in that time, the rest of us were visited by Nicolas and the boys—LJ became delirious with joy to be reunited with her two best friends again—along with Esposito, who appeared on Lanie's behalf, and even Alexis and her new baby, and of course, Ashley, Calvin and Melissa. Dad and Martha joined us shortly thereafter, and LJ was delighted to see them, but she became speechless with joy to be reunited with her treasured stuffed animals.

In the midst of all of that, I couldn't help but be thankful that there's such a thing as family, and I knew that no matter how many people were in mine, I wouldn't change it for anything at all.

It wasn't until Castle returned from the waiting room and joined me on the bed that the others noticed my engagement ring, and the room became abuzz with congratulations. When they turned their attention back to the babies, a new thought crossed my mind.

"What are you thinking about?" Castle asked me quietly.

"As far as we know, Lucy, Alyssa, Grace, Tobias and Jameson were all born before midnight, right?"

"Right…" he nodded.

"Is it after midnight yet?"

My fiancée checked his watch. "Barely. It's ten minutes past midnight now."

"What's the _date?"_

"September fifth, meaning that the babies were born on the fourth."

"This is true…"

"I just remembered that LJ's birth certificate says that she was born on the fifth of September."

"So that means that today is her birthday." He realized. "Our little girl is _four."_

Tears of guilt formed in my eyes. "How did we forget?"

"We had a lot on our plates, Kate." Castle reminded me gently.

LJ, who had been deep in conversation with Ezekiel and Moses at the foot of my bed, chose that moment to crawl back to me.

"Mama," she spoke in a curious tone. "You say it my birfday t'day? I _four?"_

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You heard that?"

"Yeah." The little girl nodded. "My Missa say that my hearing _soup-sonic."_

This drew chuckles from the others, who had all stopped what they were doing when LJ crawled over.

"You mean 'supersonic,' Baby Bird," I corrected. "And your Missa is _very_ right about that."

"That's 'cause Missa an' Lexie _always_ right." My daughter giggled in amusement and repeated her previous inquiry. "I _four?"_

Castle nodded. "Yes, you are, LJ. We promise to get you a really good present later."

"S'okay, daddy." LJ poured her own charm onto her father. "Already gots the _bestest_ presents _ever!"_

Castle raised both eyebrows, but I responded. "Oh, really? What would that be?"

"Lucy, Gracie, 'Lyssa, Tobias, an' my Jaym'son!" she answered promptly. "Since _I _biggest an' my birfday after, I gots to love an' protec' all of them 'cause I promised. The babies are my bestest friends, so _always_ gots to keep promises 'cause Lexie's word is _law." _All of the adults in the room were stunned by LJ's response, and we waited to see if she would continue. She did, adding on an afterthought. "An' I gots to teach my babies that love wins, _an'_ that piggies an' din'saurs _best."_

LJ fell silent after that, winded from saying so much in one go, and she suddenly looked like she was in desperate need of sleep. Melissa saw this and scooped the tiny redhead up in her arms and spoke softly to her.

"Guess what, niña?"

"Que?"

"It's _my_ birthday, too."

LJ's eyes grew wide in excitement, despite her sleepy state.

"R-really, Missa?" LJ yawned tiredly. "How old is you now? I _four!"_

"Nineteen, just like Alexis."

"Wow…" LJ mumbled sleepily in response, resting her head on Melissa's shoulder. "Please to stay still. I _sleep_ now."

Melissa just smiled and gladly sat down with her little friend in the gliding rocking chair that Castle quickly vacated for them.

_Jordan's Point of View_

Shortly after Melissa's revelation about her age, a nurse arrived to inform us that we all had ten more minutes, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to last another minute in the room with all of the others because memories of my last pregnancy were coming back like a flood, none of them good.

Giving little Tobias Castle one last cuddle, I put him back in Alexis' arms and left the room quickly before my tears threatened to finally fall. I sat on a bench a little ways down the hall so the others couldn't see me.

When I was sure I was alone, I massaged my temples, feeling beyond stressed out and still trying my hardest not to cry.

"No!" I told myself aloud in a stern tone. "No, Jordan, you are _not _going down that road. Never again!"

**AN:** Reviews = gold stars! :D


	46. Please Don't Make Me Remember

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Special shout out to phnxgrl for submitting the 280th review! 280 gold stars to you!

**CHAPTER 46: PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME REMEMBER**

_(Jordan's Point of View)_

"_I already said no! Please don't do this to me! I'm an FBI agent and there are going to be serious consequences for kidnapping me. Let me go! I don't know who you are or what the hell you want, but PLEASE don't do this to me! I'll good, I promise! Just don't touch me. NO!"_

I shook my head yet again to clear my mind, but it was getting harder and harder because my terrible memories that I thought I had locked away in a tiny little box were coming back in full force.

See, six years ago, I went through hell when I was kidnapped from a subway during an outing with my son. During my captivity, I saw so many things that I shouldn't have. I don't think I'm ever going to forget the things I saw, and there is no way on earth that that I can _forget_ the things that happened to me when I was gone.

I can _never_ block that part out.

I was violated by a man who had the looks of a mercenary, but was rumored to be an assassin or sniper. (Maybe if I had learned his name, I could see to it that he was locked up and then maybe he would stop haunting my nightmares) I fought back that night, but he was stronger and overpowered me, so I stopped trying because I wanted to stay alive. I didn't want to _die._

(Needless to say, I was filled with shame when I gave in, and I felt even _more_ shame about not being able to stop him because being fit and string comes with the territory of being an FBI agent)

The most terrifying thing for me about what that man did to me was that even though it only happened once, I still ended up getting pregnant.

Yes, that's right. I got pregnant in captivity, and it was by a complete and total stranger.

My precious daughters, Justice and Jubilation, were conceived that night and they were born on the very day that I was released.

If not for my girls, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have made it through that whole ordeal in one piece. Sure, I didn't know I was carrying twins until the day they were born, but they both gave something to fight for, something to live for, and something to look forward to.

But there was Leila, too. She took care of me.

(Why do Detective Ryan and his brother remind me so much of her?)

There _is_ a reason that Justice's middle is Leila.

…My daughter's namesake _saved_ me…

Is it wrong to feel like I owe that woman my life?

(And was it _her_ body that Jessica had directed me to? My team found all of the drugs that Jessica had said would be there, but there was no body…)

The terrifying thing about the _aftermath_ of my captivity was the thought of having to explain my pregnancy to my husband. I was so ready for Rafferty to divorce me for getting pregnant from another man, especially since I was violated, so I bawled my eyes out when he wasn't angry and he reassured me that it wasn't my fault. I cried even more when he began loving the girls unconditionally as if they were his own right then and there on the spot.

(How in God's name did I get so lucky to first meet Rafferty when I did?)

…Telling Calvin about the babies was whole different matter all together, though…

I just can't believe that after six years, all of the memories were coming back all because I'd accepted a mission that involved recuing _Meredith's_ daughters.

(Where the hell _is_ Meredith, anyway? Why didn't she ever tell me that she was pregnant? She was certainly not the type to even _want_ kids, so why didn't she ever tell me about Alexis or LJ? I could've helped her. I would've been more than happy to do so…)

This whole situation feels so weird.

I just don't know what to make of it.

Or myself…

What have I become?

I suddenly became aware of approaching footsteps and looked up to see me my dear friend, Amaya Serizawa, approaching me. Having somehow found time to change in between getting to the hospital from the precinct before attending to the needs of our friends, she was dressed in her lab coat, purple scrubs, memorable butterfly-decorated scrub cap and sneakers. A clipboard with lots of important looking documents was tucked under her arm, and she sat down next to me with a concerned look on her face.

"What's going on, tomodachi?" she asked, using the Japanese word for friend. "Is it something to do with rescuing Alexis and LJ, or is it to do with all of the babies being born?

"Yes, that's exactly it, Amaya." I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. "But you don't want to hear about it because you look like you have more important things to do."

Amaya set her clipboard down beside her and she looked me straight in the eye. "Something is _really_ bothering you, Jordan, and I'm _not_ leaving you alone until you tell me what it is." She spoke in a no-nonsense tone. "Our paths crossed during a tragic time in our lives for a _reason,_ but that reason was _not_ for you to push me away when you need me the most."

She had me there.

Amaya came into my life on the day I was rescued, and she has been one of my closest friends ever since. She's like a little sister to me, _and_ she can sympathize with my situation much easier than Rafferty can because while I experienced the kinds of horrors I would never wish on another person, as well as dealing with the agony of having an injured child and not being able to comfort him, Amaya became a widow on the night I was kidnapped and Calvin was injured, and was forced to raise all three of her children on her own. She later told me that she didn't find out that she was pregnant with her two youngest children until she had been admitted to hospital for going into shock.

(Amaya never saw her husband die because her oldest son covered her eyes while she covered the eyes of her younger children)

…Amaya is the only person who could ever truly understand my pain…

I took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Ever since I accepted the mission to rescue Alexis, LJ and Tobias, I've started having flashback to my pregnancy with Justice and Jubilation. I can't put everything behind me for obvious reasons, but…" My voice trailed off as I concentrated harder on not crying.

"But you thought that you had dealt with everything else?" the younger woman suggested.

I nodded. "Accepting this case has practically broken me down in the space of one night. I've always prided myself on being the strong one because I had a childhood that was devoid of love from my own parents, but now…" I sighed shakily. "Now, the mighty one has finally fallen…"

Amaya said nothing, but she pulled me closer into a hug and forced me to rest my head on her shoulder, giving me a soothing backrub. After our first meeting, Amaya and I developed a very strong sisterly bond that's only gotten stronger with each passing year.

(Most people don't understand how we've stayed close when Amaya should at the very most hate my guts. Her husband was shot in the heart when he tried to help Calvin stop my abduction. Amaya's husband's name was Tatsuya, and he was dead before he hit the ground)

I was finally able to let myself cry and when I did, Amaya wrapped her other arm around me and made comforting noises, as if she was comforting one of her children, and not a full grown woman ten years her senior.

"I love Justice and Jubilation so much, but I just don't like to remember how they were conceived." I spoke in between quiet sobs. "I don't want to remember, Amaya! Please don't make me remember!"

**AN:** I do enjoy writing cliffhangers ;) No more updates until I have five reviews!


	47. Burdens and Responsibilities

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This one is for kazorel :)

**CHAPTER 47: BURDENS AND RESPONSIBILITIES **

_Alexis' Point of View_

Even though it was after midnight by the time we all left Kate's room, I knew that there were still some people in the waiting room who were very anxious to meet Tobias. Once I was settled back in my bed and I had reassured Ashley, Calvin and Melissa that I was going to be fine without them for awhile, I watched them leave with Tobias.

When they were gone, and I squashed some of separation anxiety about being away from the baby, I started getting very sleepy and vaguely wondered about when I should talk to Emily about getting started on my insomnia medication.

I also started thinking about all of the things I'd seen during my brief captivity, and all of the things I'd learned from the Dragon, including his identity and that he was responsible for the Melissa's attack, and the deaths of Johanna Beckett, and Elijah and Lucy Queller.

The Dragon is also responsible for the deaths of Kate and Lanie's sisters, as well as recruiting Leila Ryan into the Irish Mob. (Why do I have a sinking feeling that Leila is Kevin and Thomas' mother, the same mother who abandoned her family when Kevin was three and Thomas was a newborn?) The Dragon destroys innocent people's lives, and the most sickening part is that he seems to _enjoy _it.

He also mentioned that he's held all sorts of people hostage over the years as prisoners of the drug wars. Agent Shaw had seemed out of sorts when we were all at the hospital, so it wouldn't really surprise me if she knows who the Dragon is or has been a prisoner of his before. And didn't Juliana tell me that Raja was abducted by some people that his father had been associated with? After all of the crazy things I've discovered tonight, it still wouldn't surprise me if Raja's was father was associated with the Dragon at some point.

Then came the part where it was revealed that Kate's mom was supposed to have died in the car accident where she miscarried Evangeline, and that her murder in the alley was _Plan B!_ What exactly had Johanna gotten herself into all those years ago? Did she know what she was doing? Was she thinking about her family?

Everything that I've learned about this conspiracy—because that _is_ what I've walked into—is equally devastating, but there is one thing that crushes me the most: I finally learn who dad's dad is, and it turns out that he's a ruthless mafia boss who has gotten away with scores of murders and other horrible things, but in the end, my dad and Gram don't mean a thing to him at all because he abandoned them when Gram was still pregnant with dad and never looked back once.

Nobody except for Ashley, Calvin and Melissa know about Conrad, and he's _still_ out there because the Dragon didn't kill him. I pray he doesn't come after my family and me. That's the _last_ thing I need.

_I'm_ part of the conspiracy now, too, whether I like it or not. I know almost all of the fates of my loved ones' dead or missing family members. I am _literally_ the human key to solving their mysteries, but now I am bound by guilt to stay silent. I know Melissa will weasel the truth out of me eventually, so she, Ashley and Calvin will know, but I really don't know how to begin to tell the others about any of it because no matter which of the other adults I tell first, they _all_ stand to lose something but gain nothing.

One thing I know for sure: that day when I tell them is not _today._

No.

I'm going to let everyone be happy for a little while longer.

They deserve it.

…O, the burdens of the secrets I keep…

…Sometimes I feel a little fragile…

_(Ashley's Point of View)_

_(Hospital corridor)_

When Calvin, Melissa and I boarded the elevator with Tobias in his bed cart, I couldn't stop my mind from wandering all over the place.

Alexis, LJ and Tobias had all just survived a horrible ordeal, and I had been sick with worry and guilt the whole time because I wasn't there to protect them.

But they're all safe now because Calvin's mom, Jordan, is an FBI agent and she rescued them. (I am forever grateful to her for that) Jordan even took care of LJ when the nurse assigned to the tiny redhead was removed from the case for being a nuisance.

Alexis and LJ saw _three_ murders in that warehouse. I pray that LJ will be able to forget about eventually because she's still just a little kid, and isn't even five yet. But Alexis… Alexis never forgets anything, so I _know_ there are going to be plenty of sleepless nights to come—even when she _does_ go on medication for her insomnia—and those are going to be the nights when she's going to want me at her side, just to hold her.

I can do that, no problem.

She's my girl, the same way that Calvin is Melissa's, and I've _never_ loved anyone else the way that I love Alexis now.

The most interesting thing about mine and Alexis' relationship is that even though she's almost twenty and I _am_ twenty, we behave like a married couple and we always have, even before (that filthy piece of work) Conrad ever laid his hands on Alexis.

Speaking of marriage, I really _do_ want to marry Alexis. She already knows that I love her and that I would never betray her or leave her Tobias, but I want the rest of the world to know that I love Alexis Katherine Castle, and that she's going to be my wife one day, even _if_ that day is still a couple of years away yet. I know Alexis well enough to know that she'd agree to talk about marriage if I brought it up, and I know that she'd say yes to my proposal, even if it was a long term one. In fact, she'd appreciate that more because there is still the matter of both of us finishing up school, as well as the matter of letting her heal from all of the damage that Conrad's proposal had dealt her.

(This also means that I'm going to have to talk to my parents _and_ her parents about it…)

And now there's little Tobias Noah.

As soon as I saw him, I had felt my heart fill up with only the kind of love that a parent has for their child. I have always loved Tobias, even on the day that Alexis first told me about him, but now that he's finally here, it all feels different. It al feels more _real._

I will do _anything_ for him to keep him safe. He's my _son_.

(God help me when Alexis and I have a _daughter…_That's going to be a _real_ trip…)

This is what fatherhood feels like…

Oh, my God! I'm a _dad_ now!

"What are you thinking about, Ashley?" Melissa's soft voice cut through my thoughts as the elevator doors opened and we reached our floor. "You seem lost in thought."

I sighed as she and Calvin helped me move Tobias' bed to the floor. "Oh, Melissa... There are all kinds of things running through my head right now. I'll tell you another day, all right?"

She nodded in understanding. "Okay, mijo. You just let me know, and I'll be here."

I gave a nod of thanks and let her and Calvin take over transporting Tobias while I walked ahead, getting lost in thought again.

My friends and I all bring unique aspects to our little family, and we know it. Alexis has the role of founder and resident mother hen because she loves each one of us dearly, and none of us would be the people we are now if she hadn't loved us first. Calvin keeps us all together when I've run out of steam to carry the torch myself, and he's also a very talented artist and photographer, so he brings in the creative aspect. Me? I am the leader when Alexis isn't capable of the job. If the others don't look to her for guidance, they look to me, instead. And Melissa? She's very quirky all by herself, and as much as she's aware of it and acts on it, she is truly a kind soul at heart and a very good listener, making her the ideal group confidant.

After six months of the four of us coming together to form our own little family unit, I really can't imagine things any other way, and I know that Alexis, Calvin and Melissa feel the same way.

I finally managed to come back to my senses when I reached the waiting room and saw my parents, along with Calvin's little sisters and their dad, Emily and Thomas, Zeke and Moses, Desmond and Megan O'Malley, and even Juliana and her whole family rise to their feet when they saw us. (Mr. Castle, Kevin, Javier and Nicolas were all missing because they were all with their significant other at the moment) My family looked at me expectantly.

"It's a boy." I informed them proudly. "Alexis and I have a _son."_

Dad spoke up first. "What's his name, Ashley?"

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, knowing that my parents would be affected the most.

"His name is Tobias Noah Castle."

Just as I thought, mom's eyes immediately became moist with tears and my dad pulled her close for a minute as they both remembered the son they had lost. My parents cooed over Tobias for a minute before they both walked away to sit down at a nearby table. I let the others congratulate me and slipped away to my parents as Calvin made the announcement to them about how he and Melissa are my son's godparents.

"D-does Alexis know about _our_ Tobias?" mom asked shakily as she wiped her tears. "It's no coincidence that she chose that name…" she paused for a minute before sticking on an afterthought. "It's no coincidence that your son's middle name is Noah, either…"

"Yes, mom." I nodded, reaching over to pat her hand comfortingly. "Alexis knows all about our Tobias, and Calvin and Melissa do, too, but I didn't know until today that that was the name she had picked out. Alexis got to choose the name because we had made a deal a long time ago that I could pick the name if we had a girl, and she could pick the name if we had a boy." I smiled fondly at the memory. "I lost the deal, obviously, so she chose the name Tobias to honor our Tobias' memory, and she chose Noah for the middle name because little Tobias would be the laughingstock of the playground if it got out that his parents had given him Ashley as his middle name."

Mom's smile was one of happy approval. "I always knew I liked Alexis. She's a sweet girl."

…_Sweet_ doesn't begin to describe how much Alexis means to me…

I nodded again. "I wholeheartedly agree."

Dad spoke up and his voice was deadly serious. "Ashley, you've always loved Alexis and that much is clear, especially since you've gone above and beyond the call of duty for her in the past six months. Now you're referring to yourself as Tobias' father, even though we all know the truth. Does this mean what I think it means?"

"It does." My tone was now matching his. "When Alexis and I were reunited tonight, she asked me if I would sign Tobias' birth certificate as his father."

"_Did_ you, son?" Dad pressed.

"Yes, I did." A surge of pride flooded in my chest at this admission. "I signed Tobias' birth certificate as his father because I want him to never have to grow up without knowing what a father's love is because I have always loved him like he's my own flesh and blood, _and_ I want him to know that he is as much my son as he is Alexis' because I was there when he moved inside her and caused her all the grief that had me catering to her every whim—no matter how bizarre they were—just so she would feel better. I also want my boy to know that I _chose_ him."

"How perfect…" mom sighed dreamily.

Dad had an eyebrow raised. "I'm very proud of you for what you did, Ashley, and I always will be, so _remember_ that. My question for you, though, is do you realize what kind of responsibility you've just signed on for? This is a _life-long_ commitment we're talking about, here, and it's no small thing."

"I understand the enormity of the responsibility that I am shouldering with Alexis full well now." I confirmed. "I love her so _much,_ dad, and I've known that for ages. I've also known that I want to marry her, and I knew that long before she was pregnant."

It was mom's turn to have an eyebrow raised. "Ashley Noah, are you _sure_ about that?"

"I'll bring it up in a few months," I replied. "Or maybe even next year to see what she thinks about a long-term engagement because I already know she would gladly accept my proposal, but yes, mom, I am _very_ sure about this because when I'm with Alexis, all of the songs make sense, and I've never been so sure of anything in my whole _life."_

My parents held hands and exchanged looks with each other, and for a brief moment, all of the weariness of the horrors and tragedies they have both experienced melted away, making them look truly happy together.

They had a silent conversation with their eyes, akin to the ones Alexis and I have, before turning back to me.

"Then I am very pleased to tell you," mom beamed. "That your father and I are standing by you and Alexis, one hundred percent."

**AN:** Reviews = gold stars! :D


	48. Mornings With Abuela

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This one is for Schatze8210, Dramaqueen54, and katherine temperance :) Special shout out to my friend kazorel for having the 295th review! 295 gold stars to you :) One last order of business before reading: there are two more chapters left until the end of the story!

**CHAPTER 48: MORNINGS WITH ABUELA**

_(Jessica Rose's Point of View)_

Shortly after dinner, Gabriella was ready to fall asleep on her feet, and I realized that I was, too. We went with Abuela to see my parents, and they both talked me into going to Abuela's house with her so we could get a good night's sleep and some good food in the morning. It took mama and papa a few tries to get me out the door because none of us really wanted to be apart, even if it was all for the best and it was for one more night. (Gabriella didn't really care how long it took because she was hardly coherent due to sleepiness. All that mattered to her was whether or not she could give baby Grace one more kiss and promise her that we'd be back later) We left eventually and rode a taxi out to Flushing, making a pit stop along the way at an all-night convenience store for pajamas and toothbrushes.

When we arrived at Abuela's house, neither Gabriella nor myself had enough energy left to memorize the layout of our surroundings because we were both so exhausted from being on our feet for so long. Abuela barely had time to change Gabriella into her pajamas before she actually _did_ fall asleep on her feet! (Once that little girl is out, she's out, and she sleeps like the dead) I changed into my own pajamas and gave mine and Gabriella's dirty clothes to Abuela because she had offered to wash them for us. Once that was taken care of, I found my bag and pulled out my beloved stuffed bumble bee, Sherlock, a toy that reminds me of better days because I've had him for my whole life. Before I could let myself climb into bed next to Gabriella, I made sure to take of my treasured necklace—a silver J charm on a long silver chain—and placed it on the bedside table. Like Sherlock, the necklace had been a gift to me from an old friend when I was little…

Sleep overcame me as soon as I laid my head on my pillow.

I woke up several hours later—after squinting, I saw that the clock read 8:50 a.m.—and realized that Gabriella was still out cold and snuggled up to Sherlock and me, I laid back down with her and let my mind wander as I thought about all of the things that I had learned at dinner last night.

…On the day that mama and papa found out that I was on the way, there was a shooting at the apartment complex where they lived in the Bronx, and there were many casualties. Among said casualties were both of their dads—making Abuela become a widow—and both of papa's brother's too…

(That's a lot of tragedy to stomach in one go… And I thought _I've_ experienced the horrors and the wonders of the world… Abuela, papa and mama totally win)

…And then, on the same day, Abuela Susan found out that she was pregnant with Tía Jenner, but still ended up disowning mama because she was seventeen and pregnant…

…Abuela Susan wouldn't let mama come home during the pregnancy, so Abuela Ophelia took mama under her wing during that time…

…Of course, there was the whole thing about me being put into foster care and being gone for twenty years. But I can't complain about my early years because my foster parents loved me and took care of me for seven years, all though I was still available for adoption. Everything fell apart after the funeral, though, and I grew up as a bitter child…

…I can't forget the chilling fact that Abuela Susan has been AWOL since they buried Tía Jenner after her death well over a decade ago. No one knows where she is now…

….And my poor parents literally spent my whole lifetime, even when papa joined Special Forces, wondering what had become of me, and they only had each other for comfort because they didn't know anyone else who had dealt with the pain of putting a child into the foster care system. It didn't help matters that my case was closed, meaning that none of us could have any contact with each other until I was eighteen or I started asking questions. Too bad I was too focused on just staying alive to even think about asking where I came from. I probably wouldn't have gotten an answer, anyway…

…Maybe everything _was_ all for the best…

…Is it true when they say that everything happens for a reason? This is the time to find out if there is truth behind those words…

There was a knock on the door, and I heard Abuela call out. "Are you up, mija?"

"Y-yes, I am!" I responded around a yawn as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "You can come in."

Abuela opened the door and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Well, I see that you're awake," she chuckled and I watched her silhouette lean towards Gabriella and stroke her hair. "But this one is still sound asleep!"

I smiled. "Gabs is always on the ceiling with energy, but she almost always goes out like a light when it's bedtime and sleeps like the dead every night."

"Your Abuelo Felix, your father's father, was the same way. You could yell at him through a mega horn at him, and he would keep on sleeping."

I was incredulous. "What woke him up?"

"His alarm clock!"

I clapped my hands over my mouth to stifle the sound of my giggles. Just when I was about to ask her about any more of Abuelo's odd habits, Gabriella started shifting in her sleep. Even though she was obviously still in Dreamland, she started _talking, too!_

"No, Señor Castle! Gots to save Señora Fuego from Cheshire Kitty an' Mad Hatter!" In the dim light, I watched as she picked up Sherlock and took careful aim. "I help wif' Sherlock! Duck!"

(It's times like this when I wish I could see actual details of people instead of fuzzy outlines)

My daughter threw the toy bumble bee, and it went whizzing past me, but Abuela caught it and held onto it. Of course, Gabriella turned over and went right on sleeping, like nothing had happened.

"Delaney talked a lot in her sleep when she was pregnant with you, mija." Abuela recalled. "I wouldn't be surprised if she still does."

"Some things in this world just don't make sense."

"I'll agree with you on that one." Abuela replied.

She fell silent for a moment, almost as if she was hesitating with her next question. "Where did you get this bumble bee? It looks like he's seen a lot over the years. Sherlock, is it?"

"Yes, his name is Sherlock, as in Sherlock Holmes." I nodded. "He was a present from my foster parents' friend when I was put into their care. I think they took me in when I was a tiny baby because I've had Sherlock for as long as I can remember."

"What was the person's name who gave Sherlock to you?"

Abuela was curious about me, and I knew that, so I'm willing to answer her questions. It's just that…there are some questions that come with heartache, no matter when they're asked.

"I never knew her last name, but my nickname for her was 'Mama Joey.' She was very nice, and always took time to tell me a Sherlock Holmes story when she came to visit my foster parents." I explained, rubbing my eyes as the tears came. "One time she told me that she had an older daughter, but she still wanted another daughter, too. Mama Joey _really_ wanted to adopt me, but she never got the chance to."

"What happened to her?"

"She was murdered." I answered bluntly as Abuela gave a gasp of shock. I know _exactly_ who is responsible for the murder, but I'm not about to put my family in danger. "Some _lowlife_ decided that she wasn't needed and that murder was the only way to 'get rid of her.' It's as if they had decided that Mama Joey wouldn't have any family or friends who were going to miss her if she was dead."

Abuela's voice became soft as she rested a hand on my back. "Do _you_ miss her?"

I nodded as a stream of puppy dog tears cascaded down my cheeks. "I miss her every day, especially because my vision went right before she died. I loved my foster parents—the Cavanaughs—dearly, but there were days when I freaked out and I wouldn't let them get near me. My foster siblings were too freaked out when I threw tantrums and just stayed out of my way. If I had tantrums when Mama Joey was around, she always held me until I was calm, no matter _how _long it took."

Abuela reached over and wiped my tears. "That was nice of her."

"It was, especially since everything went to hell in a hand basket after her funeral." I shook my head vigorously to try to forget that day. "But I don't want to talk about the funeral anymore. Death is death, and it happens to anyone…even the best." I wiped my tears this time. "My memories, along with an old photograph that I can't see anymore, Sherlock, and that necklace on the bedside table are what I have left of her because I don't remember what she looks like anymore."

Abuela sounded like she wanted to say something in response to my words, but Gabriella started stirring again and I could feel her body shifting around as she began searching for her glasses, an automatic habit that she had all but programmed herself to do years ago. Abuela must have realized what she was looking for because I felt her pressing Gabriella's glasses into my hands, and I quickly gave them to her.

"Here you go, mi amor." I cooed sweetly as I helped her put them on. "Buenos dias. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Si, mama, I-I did." She yawned. "We still at 'buela Ophelia's house?"

Next to me, Abuela leaned forward a little. "Yes, you are, niña. You and your mama stayed the night here."

"Oh." She chirped in happy innocence. "We go see 'buelo, 'buela an' Gracie t'day? Please?"

"Of course we can, but not yet."

Gabriella pouted. "How come? I ask _nice!"_

"You did," Abuela agreed. "And I'm happy that you have such good manners."

"Gracias, 'buela." The little girl chirped on cue. "Gracias."

Gabriella crawled past me so she could cuddle with Abuela.

"Are we doing something before we go back to the hospital?" I asked curiously.

"As a matter of fact, we are." Abuela informed me. "I was just on the phone with an old friend of mine and guess what he does?"

"What?"

"He's and eye doctor, and he actually makes specialty eyeglasses. He's agreed to give you and Gabriella free evaluations so we can finally know what's going on with your eyes, _and_ so he can make glasses for you two today!"

"You mean that I'll be able to see again and Gabs will have _better_ glasses?" My mind was still reeling from the news. "Oh, my God…"

I started crying happy tears before I could stop myself. They turned into happy sobs when Abuela went on to inform me that while our glasses were being made, we were going to have a two hour window of time which would be filled shopping for clothes, shoes and whatever else mine and Gabriella's hearts desired. Abuela understood what was going on in my head, so she held me until I was quiet again.

She spoke again after a few minutes. "Are you hungry, mija?"

"I am." I confirmed.

"And me." Gabriella quickly put in.

"Well, that's good to know," Abuela planted kisses on mine and Gabriella's heads. "Because I was thinking of making pancakes for breakfast."

"What's pancakes, 'buela?"

Gabriella's question made my face burn with shame as Abuela sounded scandalized.

"Jessica Rose Arcadia Parish," Abuela scolded lightly. "How does my great-grandbaby not know what pancakes are?"

"Because we didn't live in the lap of luxury," I responded evenly. "And besides: the only time I ate like royalty since childhood was when I was pregnant…"

Abuela gave my hand a sympathetic squeeze as she spoke to Gabriella. "Do you want to help me, niña?"

"Si, por favor." Gabriella hesitated for a second after answering. "But, 'buela… I no see. Gots bad blood _an'_ bad eyes!"

"It's okay." Abuela reassured her. "I'll hold your hands when we break the eggs and stir the batter. I'm pretty sure I have chocolate chips in the kitchen cabinets, somewhere…"

"_Chocolate?"_ Gabriella gasped in awe, clapping her hands together happily. "Let's go!"

She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and slid off the bed, no doubt trying to feel her way out of the room.

"What just happened?" Abuela was puzzled. "Did I just say the magic word?"

"Yes." I laughed. "One of Gabriella's _biggest_ weaknesses is that she _loves_ chocolate because I craved it a lot when I was pregnant with her. That child _will_ sniff it out like a hound. I would go catch her, if I were you."

"I'll do just that, mija." If I could see Abuela, I'm pretty sure that she would be smiling at me. "I washed your clothes from yesterday. Gabriella's, too. Here are yours." She pressed my clothes into my hands. "I know you made a point about your dignity and independence, and I promise you right now that I'll respect you, but at least let me teach you how the shower works."

I agreed to this and stood up to wait for her while she shepherded Gabriella in the right direction because she was apparently trying to open the closet door. (My daughter is very, very streetwise, but she's also a total clown most of the time, and the best part is that she never realizes it) Once Abuela had had Gabriella steered in the right direction, we all left the room together.

Being blind, I don't have a proper concept of daily time, but I'm pretty sure that I took a long time in getting ready because by the time I was done getting dressed, making sure that none of my dreadlocks were in my way, and my necklace fastened around my neck, I had made my way down to the kitchen, I could smell the aroma of freshly made pancakes. When I entered the room, I heard Gabriella chattering away happily with Abuela in Spanish. The latter of the two fussed at me to find a chair at the table to sit in because they were almost done.

After waiting for a few more minutes, Abuela placed a plate of pancakes in front of me after even going as far as to cut them up into smaller pieces and put syrup on them for me. (Deep down inside, I appreciated her gesture. I haven't really belonged to a family since I was little, so it's all going to take some getting used to) When I tried to help Gabriella with her food, Abuela fussed at me (again) to focus on my food because she was going to help Gabriella.

When we were all done with breakfast, it was still a little bit longer in getting to the front door because Gabriella needed help with getting dressed. We were almost to the door when Abuela stopped us.

"I have presents for you two." She said excitedly. "Do you want to wait until after we go shopping, or do you want them now?"

"Now!" Gabriella blurted out before she could stop herself. She realized that she had been rude, making demands like that, so she quickly amended her mistake in a sheepish tone. "Please, 'buela?"

"Nice recovery, mija." I praised her.

"All right, Gabriella." Abuela laughed. "You two may have your presents now, but mama is going first, all right?"

The little girl heaved a sigh but was good with her response. "Okay, 'buela. I patient."

Abuela gave her approval and then instructed me to hold out my hand. I complied and felt her drop something small and lightweight with lots of beads onto my palm. As I ran my fingers along the beads, I stopped when I go to a metal plate with words engraved on it.

"Abuela," I spoke in a wobbly voice. "Is this what I think it is? A new medical ID bracelet?"

"Si, Jessica Rose. I stepped out to the hospital pharmacy when you were visiting your parents." She informed me. "It's a pretty stylish one, too. May I help you put it on?"

I nodded and felt her fingers work quickly to undo the old bracelet and fasten the new one around my wrist. I thanked her for it and then felt my body go weightless as Gabriella realized that her present was also a new bracelet. Her squeals of delirious joy were what did me in because even for a four-year-old, she knew how important it was that we both had up-to-date medical jewelry.

When we finally _did_ leave Abuela's house, it turned out that even for living in an actual house in Flushing, Queens, she still lived on a block-and-a-half away from the subway, and she used it frequently. I hadn't been on the subway since I was a kid and I lived with my foster parents, so it felt like the first time I was doing it for the first time ever. Gabriella, on the other hand, really _was_ riding the subway for the first time, and she was scared out of her mind during the whole ride. She would let go of me until the ride was done, and we were up on the sidewalk in the sunlight.

(When I first went blind, I freaked out in the dark because it threw my sense of direction completely off. I got used to it, eventually)

Abuela's old friend was a man she knew from forever ago, and his name was Elliot. He was a very charming man, and reduced Gabriella to nothing but giggles as he joked around with her. Elliot scored bonus points with her when he told her that he's married to a lady named June, who works over at the legendary Serendipity Three ice cream parlor. Yes, Gabriella loves chocolate, but she feels the same way about ice cream, too.

Elliot gave Gabriella her evaluation first, and she was diagnosed with legal blindness, just like I thought she would be. My daughter is so blind that she can see six feet in front of her, tops. I knew that this news was coming, but it was still hard for me to hear as a mother because I've known since the day she was born that Gabriella was going to have to live her daily life as a handicapped person. (My heart broke a long time ago because the difference between us is that she was born that way, and I wasn't) The only thing that stopped me from breaking down into tears right then and there was Gabriella reassuring me that no matter how bad her eyes were, she still thought that I was the prettiest lady she ever saw, tattoos and all.

…Even coming from a person with bad eyesight and no real understanding of beauty or ugliness, her compliment saved me because it made me remember back to the day she was born and I held her in my arms because I finally understood the meaning of the phrase: _To the word you are one person, to one person, you are the world…_

After _my_ evaluation was done, the results were almost the same as Gabriella's: I'm legally blind, too, but my vision is way worse. If I hold both of my hands straight out in front of me, I can't see past them at all. Elliot deduced that the reason I can't see the details on anything is because I was never treated for any vision problems when I was little, and even at that, my foster parents didn't have the money to spend on what were then brand new procedures for corrective eye surgery.

As Elliot was showing us out, he emphasized to me that while the glasses wouldn't necessarily be miracle cures for Gabriella and me, they would certainly be major improvements.

The next part of the morning was spent at the local shopping mall going shopping. Gabriella was a real trooper for that, but just like any normal kid, she startled losing her patience after awhile. It wasn't until we were in the toy store that she suddenly hit the ceiling with energy and excitement when Abuela let her choose a stuffed animal of her very own.

What surprised me was that Gabriella didn't go for a doll or something that was at least… _girly._

No.

Leave it to my little girl to go straight for the dinosaurs.

"Are you sure, Gabs?" I wheedled, offering her a penguin. "What about this penguin? He's cute and cuddly."

"No!" she stomped her foot in frustration. "Dinosaurio! I want a dinosaurio! No pengüino!"

I found it very amusing that she was saying the names of the animals in Spanish to drive her point home.

"Okay, okay!" I laughed. "The dinosaur is yours."

"Gracias, mama." She squealed happily and held it up to me. "What kind is it?"

I read the information tag with difficulty and gave the dinosaur back to her. "You have a new Velociraptor."

"Gots a V'lossyraptor…" she tested the name out for a second before changing the subject. "Where 'buela?"

I wasn't sure about that because she had just left us to answer a call on her cell phone. Before I could answer Gabriella, a familiar voice caught our attention.

"There you two are! I didn't expect to find you two by the dinosaurs." Abuela laughed and turned to me. "Jessica, I just got off the phone with my friend Katherine, and she has something to ask."

I wrinkled my brow in confusion. "'Katherine'?" I echoed. "You mean Kate Beckett?"

"Yes, mija, her." Abuela confirmed. "I just got off the phone with her, and she and Richard really want to really want to meet you and Gabriella to say thank you for helping save their family."

I wasn't paying too much to her words because my mind was spinning from the earlier part of her statement. Gabriella had fallen silent, too, obviously understanding the importance of Abuela's words.

However, Abuela was a little lost. "Am I missing something, here?"

"Richard Castle and Kate Beckett are mine and Gabriella's heroes." I explained. "I've read _all_ of Mr. Castle's books in Braille, _and_ I've _all_ of the Nikki Heat books to date to Gabriella—but I did gloss over certain bits."

"So you're both fangirls…" Abuela mused.

"Si." I nodded. "In a way, Mr. Castle's books saved my life because they were a means of escape from the group home I spent most of my life in after Mama Joey's funeral."

"You should tell him that."

"I will if I remember how to talk…" I muttered.

There was amusement in Abuela's voice. "I'm sure you will, but I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Why is Gabriella as stunned as you are about meeting them? She's only four."

"She may be only four, but she knows who Mr. Castle is, and she knows that Kate is the inspiration for Nikki Heat, and she knows that there's a difference between the inspiration and the character." I answered, feeling somewhat proud. "It's been Gabs' lifelong wish to meet Mr. Castle _and_ Kate Beckett."

Gabriella chose this moment to speak, and she was very animated again. "I know my V'lossyraptor's nombre now!"

"Oh?" I questioned. "What's the name?"

"Her name is 'Tective Fuego, jus' like in the books!"

"You're really going to call your dinosaur Detective Heat?"

"Mama, you said it wrong!" Gabriella complained in a tone dangerously close to a whine.

Abuela stepped in before Gabriella had a meltdown. "Detective Fuego sounds like a perfect name to me, Gabriella."

Just like that, Gabriella's tone resumed its normal cheeriness once more.

"Gracias, 'buela." She trilled. "Gots a question."

"Si?"

"We get two more toys, por favor?" To support her inquiry, she added on an extra point, shaking her head. "Not dinosaurios, though."

"What did you have in mind?"

Gabriella answered her in perfect Spanish. "Una rana y un león."

"A frog and a lion are two very different animals." Abuela noted. "Are they for someone?"

"Rana is for Katie's new baby, and león is for Lexie's new baby. We get rana and león now, por favor?"

"We may."

Gabriella's voice was full of delight. "Put them in gif bags, too?"

"I'll make sure of it."

Gabriella squealed in delight and took my hand as Abuela started wandering the aisles with us to find the desired animals. Since Gabriella was off in La-La Land with her dinosaur, Abuela stole this moment to speak quietly to me.

"Gabriella is real joy, mija." She complimented me. "You two may not have had the ideal living conditions, but you still did an _amazing_ job with raising her."

"Gracias, Abuela." I whispered, feeling a little overwhelmed by her kind words. "Gracias."

We eventually found a stuffed frog and a stuffed lion that met Gabriella's approval, and located tissue paper and gift bags shortly thereafter. Once Abuela paid for the purchases, she let Gabriella help her arrange the bags, but talked her into letting me carry them. Gabriella agreed with that, but when we left the mall, she had a very strong disagreement with us about going on the subway again when she found out that we were going back to Elliot's shop. Abuela consoled her with the promise that we were going to take a taxi, instead.

When we got back to the shop, Gabriella and I both became restless because we both knew it wasn't that much longer until we were in the Land of the Sighted. Gabriella was all aflutter with excitement and it was all I could do to keep her still her chair. I was excited at the thought of being able to see again (at all) since my childhood, but it was safe to say that Gabriella was _more_ excited because one of her biggest wishes was still a little ways away, but she knew it was going to happen shortly: meeting Richard Castle and Kate Beckett. At a point when she was relatively calm, Gabriella managed to tell me that she had a second wish as big as her first one: she had always wished that she and I would both be able to see better again, and she wished that we would be able to see at the same time.

…The innocence of children's wishes always warm my heart, no matter how dark it's been…

Elliot emerged from his lab after a ten minute wait, carrying pairs of freshly manufactured specialty eyeglasses for Gabriella and me. He helped me put my glasses on, and Abuela helped Gabriella with hers.

I expected to feel some kind of dizziness at first, but I didn't. As soon as my eyes focused, I immediately noticed that Gabriella was standing in front of me with her little hands in my lap and a huge smile on her face. There was noting but pure adoration and unconditional love in her newly framed eyes.

"Hola, mama!" She chirped happily when I pulled her into my lap. "See?" My daughter could barely contain her enthusiasm as I ran my fingers over her face, finally being able to see what she finally looked like. "See, mama? You _are_ beau'ful!"

I was at a complete loss for words because I was filled with the kind of joy that I had last known when I first became aware of Gabriella kicking me when I was pregnant with her. All I could do was pull her in for a hug.

The whole room erupted into cheers because everyone present knew what a momentous occasion this was for us. I tuned it all out as I hugged my daughter and she hugged me back.

After all of these years, I finally knew that we were _both _going to be okay.

**AN:** Reviews = gold stars! This story is only 5 away from a landmark 300 reviews! Side notes: If you're looking for more great reads, allow me to recommend _A Flower In Her Hair; Father And Son, Mothers and Daughters, _and _Five And Three Quarters,_ all by the talented Charlie O'Kelley! Another good one that I just started is called _I Do,_ by Norah Rose. I'll keep you lovely people posted if I have any more recommendations :)


	49. Thank You

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **My apologies for taking so long. I live in the Midwest, and this heat wave is just insane, and slows everything and everyone down, including me. This one is for Pixie and Baby Bird. Tell me when you see the reason why :) Special shout out to katherine temperance for submitting the landmark 300th review! 300 gold stars to you! :D One last thing: this is the second to last chapter!

**CHAPTER 49: THANK YOU**

_(Kate's Point of View)_

After everyone had left my room when visiting hours were over, Emily convinced me into relinquishing my hold on Jameson so he could be looked after in the nursery by the nurses for the night while Castle and I got some sleep. I eventually saw the logic in her words after awhile and agreed to give Jameson to her.

LJ had refused to part company with Castle and me after Jordan brought her back to us, and she spent the night with me in my bed while Castle slept on a cot by the window.

During the night, LJ was plagued by nightmares. Castle tried to comfort her first, but she freaked out, yelling at the top of her lungs about "the bad man," and practically glued herself to my side. I didn't really know what to make of the situation other than sing lullabies to her until she fell asleep because it was a reverse-the-roles scenario because it was the same thing that happened with the nightmare LJ had had about Meredith coming back for her, all those months ago.

When I woke up a few hours later, I went about the normal routine of a post-birth check-up before being reunited with Jameson. Thankfully, LJ was as right as rain in the morning and cooperated with Castle when he took her down to the cafeteria so they could both get some breakfast. Since one of the nurses had fed Jameson a bottle of formula before bringing him to me, he was as blissful as can be for a newborn and he just stretched out in my arms lazily.

Emily brought me breakfast a few minutes later and held Jameson for me until I was done.

Putting my now empty tray down on the sliding counter attached to my bed, I turned to my friend to take my son back from her, by my heart melted when I saw her talking to him in baby talk, but she was speaking to him in a language that I didn't recognize.

"Em?" I interrupted her. "What language are you speaking?"

The younger woman switched back to English and apologized to me in her regular voice. "Sorry, Katie J. I was speaking in Afrikaans."

"_Afrikaans?" _I was incredulous. "That's what they speak in South Africa!"

"I know." She nodded with a smile. "Remember my Auntie Adelaide?"

"Oh, yeah. Even _I _ called her Auntie Adelaide." I remembered, chuckling slightly. "Her visits were always fun. I believe that Auntie was how we all learned what 'eccentric' means…"

"So very true." Emily smiled in amusement. "Auntie was my mum's older sister, and she told me that she was born in Cape Town before she and her parents—my grandparents—moved to Australia. Mum wasn't born until her parents came here to New York. Mum taught me, Maddie and Missy as much of the language she as she knew, but I was the only one who pursued it."

"When was that?"

"Boarding school in Switzerland." She answered promptly. "I started taking courses the year I got there, and by the time I graduated, it was my second language. I read and speak Afrikaans fluently now."

I was very impressed with this new information, but I still smirked at her. "And yet, it slipped out when you were getting all cute and cuddly with my son?"

"Yes, it's a reflex now." She laid Jameson down so he was resting on her lap cradled his head in her hands while supporting his sides with her arms. When she looked down at him, I saw a lot of _want_ in her eyes. "Isn't that right, little guy? Auntie Emily has some really weird reflexes now," she cooed to him in English this time. "But maybe I'll teach you how to speak Afrikaans when you get bigger…"

Jameson just waved his mitted hands at her and started whimpering.

"That was fun while it lasted…" she spoke softly in her normal voice.

I just laughed and spoke to my boy, feeling relieved when he became blissful once more. Jameson yawned and snuggled up to me, content to be held by me again.

When I looked back at Emily, I saw that she was watching me. "I want one…"

"Good things come to those who wait, sweetie."

"I know, I know," She sighed. "But when have you ever known me to be patient about anything?"

"Almost never. Maddie and I have _plenty_ of stories to back that up."

"Exactly my point." She reached over and pulled Jameson's blanket up a little higher over his tiny back. "When we were dating, Thomas and I both agreed to wait for a year after our wedding day before we started trying for kids. It's testing the patience limits for both of us because we both _really_ want kids. I keep telling myself that it's going to be _so_ worth it in the end."

"You have no idea, Emily."

A wicked grin suddenly crossed her face, identical to the wicked grin that Melissa wore sometimes.

"Another thought just occurred to me, Katie."

I was wary. "Oh?"

"By the time _we_ have a baby, Jameson might be getting a sibling from her parents."

"It is _too_ soon to be thinking about that, Emily Kristina Ryan!" I scolded quietly as Jameson started nodding off. "You're more than welcome to talk about teaching Jameson how to speak Afrikaans because I've tried to get Alexis and Lily Joy into baseball, but Alexis would rather read a book, and Lily is too freaked out to even pick up a bat because thanks to her overactive imagination, she thinks that the ball has razor sharp teeth that want to bite her." I shook my head at the memories of trying to get the girls interested in my favorite childhood sport. "I can only _hope_ that Jameson will show some interest, but God forbid if _any_ of my kids ask to ride my motorcycle." This thought drew a shudder from my body. "You can talk all you want about teaching Jameson to speak Afrikaans, but do _not_ mention the idea of me being pregnant again for a long time, all right?"

"All right." She laughed in agreement. "I promise."

I smiled at her words. "But while we _are_ on the subject of babies, which would you rather have? A boy or a girl?"

"I want a boy." Emily answered promptly. "A girl would be good, too, but after living in the same house with my mum and sisters for so long, it would be nice to see what it's like to raise a boy. I don't even know how dad managed to stay sane without any sons…"

"Do you know what Thomas would prefer?"

She nodded. "Thomas wants a girl because he would sort of see her as a way to fill the missing void in the Ryan family tree."

"What do you mean?" I furrowed an eyebrow. "I already know that Leila is gone, so who else is there? Do Thomas and Kevin have a sister we don't know about?"

Emily nodded reluctantly. "Yes, they do. Her name is Matilda, and from what I know, she is their half-sister because she was born after Leila left."

"Then how old does that make Thomas and Kevin right now?" I was truly intrigued by now. "When did the boys become aware of Matilda?"

"Kevin is thirty-four, making Thomas thirty-one. Matilda is twenty-seven, same as me." Emily explained. "They didn't meet her until a few years ago. She's a graphic illustrator for graphic novels, and is just…_ quirky_ by nature. I think her husband is a lawyer, though."

"Where has she been all this time?" I was excited by the new information I was learning, but had to remember to be quiet because Jameson was actually sleeping now. "I would _like_ to find Leila, but I haven't a clue where she is."

"_No one _does, Katie." She reminded me gently.

"Fair enough," I took her words into consideration. "But again: where is she? Matilda is twenty-seven, so she could be anywhere now, since she's an adult."

"Tillie has been in Kentucky for quite some time, actually. She was in New York with Leila for a long time, but hitchhiked to Kentucky when she was a teenager, I think."

"When did _you_ meet her?"

"At the funeral for Mr Ryan."

Emily's response was short, and her eyes were clouded over, and it looked like she was thinking about something that she didn't really want to share. I spoke up before she wandered too far down a rabbit trail and her thoughts became harmful.

"So all of that to say that you want a son, but your husband wouldn't mind a daughter?"

"Bingo," she nodded. "But we'll be happy with whoever comes first."

I started to reply, but was cut off when there was a knock on the door, and it turned out that the new arrival was a nurse pushing Madison in a wheelchair. Baby Lucy was in her mother's arms and cooing happily. The nurse parked Madison next to Emily, and then exited the room after instructing the younger Queller sister to press the call button when she wanted to go back to her room. Emily took her departure, as well, saying that she had to return my breakfast dishes.

Madison and I chatted for awhile, and I found out that Castle and LJ had met up with Nicolas and the twins in one of the corridors, and they were all down in the cafeteria together. (I hope they come back soon. I've never liked being away from my family for too long) Our conversation eventually shifted to a new topic: Jessica Rose Parish.

"So she and her little girl are both _blind,"_ Madison was as intrigued as I had been when Emily had told me about Matilda. "But Jessica was still able to give Agent Shaw an accurate description of the location where the girls and Tobias had been taken to?"

"Yes."

"Do you know who took them?"

It suddenly hit me that in getting caught up in all of yesterday's drama, we never found out exactly _who_ had held the kids hostage.

"No." I shook my head slowly. "No, Maddie. No one does. I'm sure Alexis does, but I won't ask her to tell me until I know she's ready. Something tells me Lex will come to be about it before she goes to Rick."

"All right." Madison paused briefly to soothe a hiccupping and slightly whimpering Lucy. "If not for Jessica turning up out of the blue like an angel, Agent Shaw wouldn't have found the kids as quickly as she did?"

(Jessica Rose really _had_ appeared out of nowhere like an angel, hadn't she?)

"That's right." I confirmed. "And don't let Jordan hear you address her by her title like that."

"What?" Madison was taken aback. "But it's her _name."_

"I know that," I laughed and raised an eyebrow as I continued. "But _Jordan_ also knows that Missy is in love with her son, and _we_ all know that at the rate things are going, those two will be _married..."_

"And then Jordan and I will be related." Madison finished, realizing what I was getting at. "Having an FBI agent in the family should be interesting…"

The conversation changed course once more, and we discussed Lucy and Jameson, but I was still thinking about Jessica Rose. Madison seemed to sense this.

"You're still thinking about Jessica Rose, aren't you?"

"I am." I confessed. "I just want to tell her thank you for what she did. She _and_ her daughter were both very brave. Rick would want to meet them, too…"

My friend reached over and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I from heard from Javier that the girls are staying with Ophelia until Lanie and Grace are released. You should call Ophelia to see if she can bring the girls by for a visit."

Realizing that Madison's idea was a very good one, I shifted Jameson to one arm so I could pick up the phone attached to my hospital bed, and Madison dialed the number for me. It wasn't long before Ophelia picked up.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Ophelia." I greeted her. "It's Kate. I'm calling you from the hospital phone."

"Hola, mija." She chirped happily. "How are you and Jameson this morning?"

I looked and saw that my son was sleeping peacefully.

"Jameson and I are doing great." I told her. "I was calling because I have a request."

"Oh?" she questioned. "What kind of request would that be?"

"I was wondering if you could bring Jessica Rose and her daughter to my room later on. I want to thank them. Rick isn't in the room at the moment, but I know he'll want to do the same."

"Of _course_ I'll bring them by." Her voice was pleasant. "Jessica Rose and Gabriella will be very happy. We're busy right now, but we can be there in about an hour or so. Does that work?"

"Yes, it does." I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "We'll see you then."

I hung up and resumed talking with Madison.

The next hour passed by quickly, especially because Castle and LJ, as well as Nicolas, Zeke, and Moses came by shortly after I hung up with Ophelia. Castle thought the idea of meeting Jessica Rose and Gabriella was brilliant, and commended Madison for it. LJ thought the same thing because she was thrilled to pieces about it because she knew how important the girls were in her safe return. She was so thrilled that she wouldn't leave Castle alone until he sent Alexis a text saying that the girls were coming.

(But knowing Alexis and how much of a strain her pregnancy had put on her body, she was probably exhausted, and not ready to have any company just yet)

Just as LJ and the twins were having a pow-wow on the cot that Castle had occupied during the night, and began telling each other stories, there was yet another knock on the door and Ophelia was standing in the doorway, laden down with shopping bags, but was flanked by the girls.

Jessica Rose was wearing a short sleeved kimono dress, midnight blue in color, with a yellow spiral design creeping up the side of it. (The dress had a slight Gothic feel to it, but the yellow was an interesting color choice) Matching yellow stockings were on her legs, and long black boots with skull fastenings were on her feet. A silver chain was around her neck, but I couldn't see what I was on it because it was tucked down the front of her shirt.

Finally being able to see her for the first time, I immediately saw her resemblance to her parents. She is _definitely_ Lanie and Javier's daughter.

Since her dress had short sleeves, we all saw that both arms were decorated with very intricate tattoo sleeves that looked like they had taken a long time to do, and they were so intricate that they ran down to the bases of her fingertips. Her jet black dreadlocks were tied back with a yellow scarf, showing us that there was even a tattoo on the side of her face, even though it was obscured by the arm of her eyeglasses.

My attention was drawn to Gabriella next. Like her mother, she had eyeglasses, too, but while Jessica had a sort of elegance about her, Gabriella was the epitome of cuteness. Dressed in a white shirt and a purple jumper dress trimmed with black and white argyle, the look on her face was one of pure joy. Even though she had no doubt gone through many trials with her mother, she now looked like she didn't have a care in the world. A knitted brimmed tam hat, the same shade of her jumper—complete with a knitted white flower on the side—sat on top of her braided copper red hair, and her feet were tucked into little girl ballet flats.

What was most intriguing about Gabriella was that she had a stuffed Velociraptor under her arm.

…Wait. Moses has a Velociraptor, too…

Of course, little Moses had zeroed in on the new little dark skinned girl with a dinosaur under his arm and approached her curiously. Gabriella seemed to be aware that he was coming because she stayed still so she could focus on the sound of his footsteps. When he was in her field of vision, she saw the dinosaur under his arm and promptly dropped the bags that she was carrying because she was so surprised that Moses had a dinosaur, as well.

"Hola, amigo." She greeted him cheerily. "Mi nombre es Gabriella Delaney."

Moses' mouth dropped open in surprise when she greeted him in Spanish, and now we had all stopped our activities to see who would make the next move.

Gabriella did because Moses was too shocked to speak.

"What's your name?" Gabriella was very curious. "Habla Inglés, Español or Spanglish?"

Moses regained his senses briefly and pointed to himself, introducing himself in Spanish. "Mi nombre es Moisés Caleb." He switched back to his preferred language. "I speak Spanglish more, though."

Gabriella's face lit up again. "Me, too!" she bounced on the balls of her feet. "What kind of din'saurio you got? I gots a V'lossyraptor."

Moses gasped in delight. _"I gots a V'lossyraptor, too!"_

Both of them fell silent, very stunned by what their little minds were trying to process. Moses was quiet longer, so LJ moved closer to him and attempted to make him start talking again.

"Boo!"

This worked because he came back to his senses again, but his expression told us that he probably thought she was a little scary. "Lo siento, Gabriella. I still here."

She smirked slightly, knowing that she had scared him. "What's your V'lossyraptor's name?"

"His name is Rook!" Moses happily supplied, earning raised eyebrows from Castle and me about the name. The little boy's previous fear had obviously vanished because he was so fascinated by Gabriella. "What's _your_ din'saurio's name?"

"Her name is Tective Fuego." She answered proudly.

Castle and I exchanged amused glances with each other at the names of the toys. Rook and Detective Fuego?

Moses and Gabriella are going to get along _very_ well…

"Her name is Detective Fuego?" Moses was incredulous, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. "I tell you something, Bella?"

Gabriella giggled hysterically at the nickname and nodded. "Si, Moses."

"Rook an' Tective Heat from Tío Castle's books." He explained in a matter-of-face-tone. "Tío Castle is _here._ So is Tía Kat'erine." He held out a hand to her. "Come wif me, Bella? _Please?"_

The little girl became hesitant. "Gots new glasses, but still gots bad eyes, Mo."

"Gots _pretty_ eyes, mi Bella." He corrected and held out his hand again. "Come wif me. I be your eyes."

(You would have to be soulless if your heart didn't turn to butter at those words)

Gabriella readily accepted his and placed her dark hand in his light one. We all watched the two of them as they made their way to Castle. Moses looked up at my fiancée and addressed him importantly.

"Tío Castle, this is my new amiga, Gabriella." The little boy stressed each syllable of Gabriella's name so he could say it properly. "I think I love her 'cause her din'saurio's name matches mine. Please to say hola to her?"

Castle leaned forward and offered his hand to Gabriella. She took it, clearly stunned because this was obviously a huge moment for her.

"Hello, Gabriella." He spoke to her in the same tone he speaks to LJ. "It's nice to meet you.

Moses' companion could only manage to nod before her knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor in shock. (No question about it that _she's_ a fangirl…) A squawk of alarm emitted from Moses' mouth at the sudden turn of events. Castle scooped Gabriella up into his lap and quickly consoled Moses, who was now on the verge of tears.

"It's all right, Moses." Castle reassured him. "Gabriella just got surprised, is all."

"Promise?" the little boys sniffed, rubbing his eyes. "Promise, Tío Castle?"

"I do."

Moses heaved a sigh of relief. "Gracias."

Nicolas chose this moment to speak to his younger son. "Come on, mijo. We have to bring mama and Lucy back to their room now. Zeke is coming, too."

A look of extreme bewilderment crossed Moses' features, and I thought he was going to actually freak out.

"No! No leave my Bella, please!"

"We'll come see her later." Nicolas promised. "You and your brother need to go home and change your clothes."

Moses nodded in understanding and he gave Gabriella a quick peck on the cheek and left with his family. Had he looked back, he would have seen that Gabriella had fainted clean away in Castle's lap because her tiny mind had been blown.

I cast a look towards the left of the door and saw that Ophelia was sitting in a chair next to the door, but Jessica was standing next to her. She was wearing a puzzled expression on her face.

"What just happened?" she even _sounded_ confused. "Did Gabs just faint?"

"She did." I laughed and beckoned her over. "That's one way to say welcome to the family."

"R-really?" Jessica's tone had gone from surprised to very taken aback. "We came here because Abuela said that you and Mr Castle wanted to meet us, but we were not expecting to be…welcomed into the family."

"Yes, we did ask you to meet you, Jessica Rose. Come and sit down next to me."

I moved over to make room for her, hoping that she could see me. Thankfully, she could because she made her way over to me and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Hello, Detective." She said nervously.

"You _can_ call me Kate," I told her. "And I think that Rick would prefer it if you call him by his first name instead of his last name."

Jessica looked over at Rick, and he nodded.

"I can do that…" Jessica muttered.

"Good." I gave her a gentle squeeze. "We wanted to say thank you for everything you did to bring the information about where the kids were taken to." A single tear fell down my face. "If not for you and Gabriella, it would've been so much longer than it _did_ take to bring them back, and God only knows what would've happened to them, especially since Alexis went into labor."

"I did what was right. I didn't want anyone to go through what _I_ went through." Jessica replied, looking like her mind was in the process of going to another place all together." She quickly changed tracks before she wandered away from the path. "What did Alexis have?"

Castle answered this one, proudly. "Alexis had a little boy, and his name is Tobias Noah. Kate had a boy, too." He gestured towards me, and Jessica's attention was drawn to the baby. "His name is Jameson—"

Right at that moment, Gabriella decided to wake up and when she realized that she was in Castle's lap, she gave a squeak of fright and slid down, landed on the floor and climbed into her mother's lap. Gabriella spoke to her mother in awe, and she was just too cute for words.

"Mama," she breathed. "My wishes came true! _They actually camed true!"_ Gabriella cast careful looks at Castle and me. "Tía Kat'erine _an'_ Tío Castle both here, just like my Mo say." Her eyes fell on the baby. "Baby Jaym'son, jus' like Jaym'son Rook?"

I answered for Gabriella, nodding and feeling very amused that she was that little and she knew how to make those connections. "Yes, Gabriella. That's right."

The little girl's eyes grew wide and she touched my leg gently. "Tío Castle writes the books, right?"

"Yes," I repeated. "But how did you know?"

"Mama readed the stories to me when I was one!" she chirped happily.

Castle and I both looked at Jessica, and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I skipped over some parts, I swear!" the young woman backpedaled hastily.

"That's what I want to hear." I approved before turning back to Gabriella. "So of you know who that if Tío Castle writes the books, do you know who _I_ am?"

"Easy." She clapped her hands happily. "You es the esstraodinary KB, the one who the books are for."

I nodded, flushing red, thus earning chuckles from Castle, LJ, and Ophelia. "That's right. I'm KB, but you may call me Kat'erine or Catalina, if you want."

Gabriella's face lit up in delight. "What Mo call you?"

"He always calls me Kat'erine."

"What 'bout Zeke?"

"He calls me Catalina, or sometimes Lina."

"I like Lina." She decided. I suppressed a grin, knowing that Moses would be upset with her for siding with his brother about what to call me. "Lina is easier to say, _an'_ it's real pretty…like you."

I flushed a deeper shade of red, but was saved when LJ came toddling over. Lieutenant Cuddles was under her arm and she was carrying both of the bags that Gabriella had dropped earlier. Upon her request, Jessica reached down and put her on the bed next to me. LJ set the bags near Jessica. Castle moved his chair closer to the bed, and Ophelia made an excuse about going to visit Lanie, whose room was right next door.

I was curious about what was in the bags, but LJ, who had quiet while she had been quietly observing the scene with Ophelia, was also very curious now. She spoke up, addressing Jessica first.

"Tank you for saving me an' Lexie an' Toby." She threw her arms around Jessica in a hug. "Tank you."

Jessica returned the hug by wrapping an arm around my daughter for a one-armed hug because her other arm was wrapped around her own daughter.

"You're so welcome, LJ." The older girl whispered to the younger one. "I'm so glad that you're okay."

LJ grinned and snuggled closer to Jessica when she didn't object. We watched LJ examine the tattoos on one of Jessica's arms briefly before remembering that Gabriella was right there next to her.

"Hi!" she spoke cheerily to her. "My name LJ. Mo call you Bella?"

Gabriella seemed slightly taken aback by LJ's sudden cheerfulness, the same way that Moses had found her slightly intimidating. Personally, I thought it was cute.

"Si." Gabriella nodded cautiously. "Habla Inglés, Spanish or Spanglish?"

"Spanglish!" was the cheerful response. "Sometimes Inglés, too."

Gabriella's mood lightened up considerably here and she leaned forward to touch LJ's hair. LJ wasn't phased by this odd behavior because it looked like she understood that her new friend had bad eyesight.

"Your hair es rojo, LJ." She observed. "Jus' like mine."

LJ nodded emphatically, but she changed the subject. "You look din'saurs, too?"

"Always." Gabriella told her with complete honestly. "What your din'saurio's name?"

"His name is 'Tenant Cuddles."

Gabriella giggled and then looked up at her mother, asking her a question. Before LJ or I could translate it—we're the only ones in our family who can actually understand Spanish and carry on a conversation—Jessica had already given the response, and Gabriella came to sit next to me. LJ plunked down beside her and they both looked at me expectantly.

"Lina," Gabriella began. "Mama an' me gotted a present for Jaym'son."

"That's so sweet." I caught hers and Jessica's eyes so they would see my sincerity. "What is it?"

Both of the girls giggled at this, obviously on the same track of thought.

"Silly Tía." Gabriella giggled. "Gots to open it. No ruin s'pise!"

Smiling at her cleverness, I handed Jameson to Castle to hold so I could open the present. Both Gabriella and LJ moved closer to me, pushing the bag closer as they went. (They haven't even known each other for an hour, and they were behaving like twin sisters) Picking up the bag, I pulled out the tissue paper and fished out a the gift again, smiling even more at what I saw.

The toy that Jessica and Gabriella had picked out was a plush green frog with brown spots all over its back, big friendly eyes and friendly smile, making it appealing to any child it was given to. It was going to be the perfect companion for Jameson all through life.

Gabriella's little voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Do you like it, Lina? Is rana." At a gentle nudge from Jessica, she quickly translated the last word for Castle's benefit. "Is _frog."_

"I like it." I nodded, running my fingers over the fabric of the toy. "Now we have to see if Jameson does."

Castle handed the baby back to me and I cradled him to my chest, soothing him when he started to whimper in protest from being moved again so quickly. Once Jameson was calm again, Castle, Jessica, Gabriella and LJ all watched as I moved the toy closer to Jameson to see what he would make of it. We all started cheering (quietly) when Jameson snuggled closer to the toy all on his own accord.

He liked it.

Castle's cell phone vibrated suddenly and audibly, making the rest of us glare at him for ruining such a happy moment. Giving us all apologetic looks, he quickly picked up his phone.

"It's a text from Alexis." He announced as he read it. "She wants to meet Jessica Rose and Gabriella."

I immediately looked towards both girls in question. Gabriella was already sliding to the ground. Jessica was looking a little hesitant.

"It's okay. Alexis is _very_ nice." I reassured her. "Her friends are nice, too."

"How old are they?" Jessica wanted to know. "I've never had friends my own age before…"

"Well then, you're in luck because they're all close to your age." She raised an eyebrow, an unasked question in her eyes. "And yes, I do know you're twenty. Alexis is nineteen, but will be turning twenty in about three weeks, and Melissa just turned nineteen today. I'm pretty sure that Calvin turns twenty on Christmas Day, and Ashley turned twenty last month."

Jessica nodded, taking these words into account. Standing, she turned to Castle.

"Will you please show us where her room is, Rick?"

"With pleasure." My fiancée made a sweeping boy, causing Jessica to giggle. "Do you have everything?"

"Just about…"

I watched as she gathered her things up and lifted Gabriella close to me so she could say goodbye to Tobias, LJ and me. As she did that, LJ quickly handed her the bag that hadn't been opened yet. Gabriella thanked her politely and then asked to be set back down on the floor, whereupon she immediately wandered over to Castle. Just as politely, she asked to hold his hand, and she had trouble suppressing her happy squeals when he said yes.

(Today has obviously been a dream come true for her…)

Jessica's goodbye to Jameson and me wasn't as full of as much fanfare as her daughter's had been, but her tone certainly conveyed that whether or not she knew that her parents are like the brother and sister that Castle and I never had, Jessica had already accepted it that she was part of the family now, too.

_(Five doors down, Alexis' room)_

_(Alexis' Point of View)_

Once I had put phone down on my bedside table after sending a text to dad, I accepted Tobias back from Ashley and proceeded to shoo him, Calvin and Melissa from the room so they could get some breakfast from the cafeteria since none of them had really wanted to leave us yet. Looking up, I saw dad standing in the doorway with Jessica Rose and Gabriella. Dad let them know that they had arrived and proceeded to make a quiet exit.

"You two must be Jessica Rose and Gabriella. I'm Alexis."

Gabriella walked over, Jessica following behind her, the strings of a bright blue gift bag in her hands. A stuffed toy dinosaur was tucked under Gabriella's arms, but she put it up on the bed so she could use her hands for support while she stood on her tiptoes to look up at me so she could be as close as possible.

"Lexie." She spoke in a tone that reminded me vividly of LJ. "Your papa say that your baby is called Tobias."

"That's right." I praised and cuddled Tobias. "This little guy in my arms is called Tobias Noah Castle."

"I see Toby, por favor?"

"Sure." I nodded. "How about you ask your mama for a boost?"

Jessica lifted Gabriella onto the bed, but when she made a move to sit down in a nearby chair, I made room for her on the bed and said that she could sit with us. Gabriella found this amusing and made a remark about how they had both sat on Kate's bed, too.

Jessica and Gabriella admired Tobias for a minute before she asked her mother to hand her the bag that she had been holding. Gabriella took it from her mother and presented it to me.

"We gotted a present for Toby. Open?"

I nodded, moved by the gesture and looked to Jessica for a minute.

"Jessica, will you hold Tobias, please?"

Of course, she was taken aback. "What? You want a blind person to hold your newborn baby?"

Moving over, I made more room for her so she could fit her whole body on the bed and wasn't so close to the edge. She got the message and filled the empty space.

"Have a little faith in yourself." I answered. _"Please."_

My friend nodded and held out her arms. I placed the baby in her arms and made sure they were both comfortable before turning back to Gabriella.

"Do you want to help me open it?"

She nodded eagerly and pulled out the tissue paper under my instruction, leaving me to pull out an adorable velvet lion, the same color blue of Jessica's dress, and its mane was sky blue.

Realizing that Gabriella was waiting for my approval, I quickly gave it to her.

"The toy was a thoughtful gift, Gabriella." I told her.

She beamed and held her arms out for it. "I hold el león while you take Toby back from mama."

Agreeing, I handed the toy to her and she hugged it to her chest lovingly, along with her dinosaur. Jessica handed Tobias back to me and we both watched as Gabriella gave the toy to the baby in a slow and gentle manner. She gasped happily when he cuddled up to it.

As Gabriella spoke quietly to Tobias in Spanglish, I turned to Jessica.

"You probably already heard this from my parents," I started. "But words really can't express how thankful I am, especially on the behalves of my son and my sister, for how you and Gabriella were brave enough and bring the information about the warehouse to my parents and Agent Shaw. Thank you for _everything."_

"You're welcome."

Jessica smiled at me, but it didn't look real.

…Even her gaze looked distant…

Concern filled me. "Are you all right?"

"Alexis," the other girl's tone was entirely no-nonsense. "Have you seen him? Have you seen the Dragon?"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Have you seen him? Have you seen the Dragon? I know that you and Gabriella were in a really shady side of town, but…"

Jessica repeated her question, a little firmer this time. "Have you seen the Dragon?"

"Yes, I have." I nodded slowly. "Why?"

"How much do you know?"

Still surprised, I had the feeling that Jessica was someone I could trust about the things that I had seen and learned in the warehouse.

"I know a lot of things, and now I'm the human key to solving the fates of my families loved ones."

"Have you told your family yet?" she implored.

"No." I answered truthfully. "The Dragon is my grandfather, and he has guilt tripped me into staying silent for now, but no matter _when_ I tell my secrets, _everybody_ still stands to lose something."

Jessica muttered something darkly in Spanish that I didn't recognize as one of Melissa's Spanish curses, and this prompted a question from me.

"Do you know the Dragon?"

She nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Then does that mean that you know everything I know?"

…We both knew what I was talking about and didn't need to elaborate…

"I do," she nodded. "And I'm sure I know a little bit more, too," As she spoke, she seemed to be a little sad, like she's experienced too much in too short a time. "But I don't want to burden you with my words right now."

Gabriella suddenly displayed another quirk mirror to LJ's when she chose this moment to speak, trying to diffuse the tension in the air.

"Lexie," she addressed me. "Please to tell you something?"

"Please do."

"Toby's name match him. Es perfec' for him. Know what else?"

"What?" I asked, feeling a sudden rush of affection for her. "What else?"

"Mama say once that _all_ babies pick their mamas when they still up in Heaven." There was a delighted twinkle in her big brown eyes, and for a minute, it was hard to believe that she was probably LJ's age. "Toby pickded you 'cause you hermoso, beau'ful. An' he pickded you 'cause you need him. He needs you, too."

The rush of affection for her grew even bigger, and before I knew it, I was crying happy tears. Careful not to squish Tobias, Gabriella leaned against me and wiped my tears, taking extra care to not accidentally poke me. (It was obvious, that she was doing everything she could to make me feel better) Quiet sniffling sounds next to me let me know that Jessica was also crying, having been just as deeply moved as I had been.

Almost as soon as we were composed, I became aware that we had an audience because I looked up to see Ashley, Calvin and Melissa were all standing in the doorway, each with a happy smile on their faces. Jessica, whose field of vision is shorter than her daughter's, couldn't see what I was looking at.

"What is it?" she wanted to know, still trying to at least detect what I was seeing. "Who's there?"

I looked back at her.

"Jess," she turned towards the sound of my voice. "Would you like to meet my friends?"

**AN:** So now Jessica has met Kate, Castle, and Alexis, and is about to meet Ashley, Calvin and Melissa! :) Happy endings for everyone! Speaking of happy endings, let's have five reviews or more before chapter fifty goes up! Oh, and out of curiosity, who are your favorite characters?


	50. The Best Is Yet To Come

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** And here we are at chapter fifty… Bittersweet…

**CHAPTER 50: THE BEST IS YET TO COME**

_ONE YEAR LATER_

_(Kate's Point of View)_

What a year it's been. So many of my dreams came true, and I didn't even think that some of them would ever see the light of day.

After living in the loft for a year with Castle and his family and adjusting to being Castle's girlfriend, a daughter to Martha, and a mom/older sister/best friend to Alexis, we discovered that Jameson was on the way. A year later, we've discovered that that little boy is quite a character. Not only is he the spitting image of his father, but he's also shown himself to be a double threat. Just like I thought during the first time Jordan held him, he is a total charmer. The part that makes him a double threat is that Jameson has inherited my stubbornness, too! (We're in trouble…) He is a very happy boy, and when Lily Joy hasn't recruited him and Tobias to pull little tricks and pranks, he loves having play dates with Lucy, Alyssa or Grace. (The little kids have already formed a family until like Alexis and Lily Joy have with their friends, and they all have their own personalities. Jameson treats Tobias like a brother, but Lucy is girlier than LJ, and a little laid back. Alyssa, however, is _very_ girly and prissy. Both she and Lucy are usually hesitant about following the boys on an adventure, Grace is their opposite because she is a complete tomboy, and she never gives anything a second thought and follows Jameson around, no matter what he does. Jameson's name was Grace's first word) Emily says that since Jameson is at the stage where he repeats practically everything he hears, it's not going to be too long before she can start teaching him some of the basic concepts of the Afrikaans language. Oh, and since the little kids all celebrated their first birthday today, one of the presents that Castle and I bought for Jameson was a my-first-baseball set. Has he shown interest? Of course not. He spent over an hour with Tobias and Lily Joy looking at the new picture books he had received as gifts from my dad. I know it's only been a day, but still… if Jameson doesn't care about baseball, there's always the _next_ baby to persuade… Right?

As for Alexis, she is doing very well. Motherhood suits her perfectly and she loves it. (She knows that becoming a mother at such a young age was less than ideal, but she also believes that everything happens for a reason) Of course, Alexis hasn't forgotten about her education because about a month after the babies were born, she became registered to take an online course instead of taking classes at one of the local colleges. Castle started to object to this idea when she first presented it to us, but Martha and I came to Alexis' rescue by explaining what she was trying to say: she felt that it was far more practical, and she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Tobias and not miss a single thing, even if that meant turning down the chances to attend any of the finest schools that New York City _alone_ has to offer. Her education is important to her, but she says that Tobias will always be the number one priority in her life. (Since Alexis graduated at the top of her class in high school and always did well, anyway, all of the high marks carried over to when she was signing up for this course, and guess what? She's done now because she finished a few months early) Speaking of high priorities, Alexis' friends remain high on her list because each one of them say that all of the trials they through together during her pregnancy has made them stronger people, and they really _have_ turned into their own little family. A year ago, it was just Alexis and Ashley, but they were quickly joined by Calvin and Melissa, and now they have Jessica Rose, too. She turned up when the babies were born, and for reasons that remain unknown to the rest of us, she and Alexis are very close, as if bound together by a secret. (Knowing all of the weird things that happen in my family—immediate and extended—mostly considering the circumstances of my mother's murder, that idea is _very_ plausible) Alexis, Ashley, Calvin and Melissa accepted Jessica Rose into their family unit without hesitation, and not just because she and Gabriella were Alexis', Lily Joy's, and Tobias' saviors, or because they pitied Jessica for being blind. No, they did it because they see her as one of them.

(Ashley recently sat down with Castle and me to explain that he loves Alexis deeply and always has, and the stepping up to the plate during Alexis' pregnancy and the signing of Tobias' birth certificate was his way of proving himself to us and the rest of the world how much he wants to be the one who takes care of them. He went on to say that he and Alexis have seriously discussed the idea of getting married in the next few years quite a few times in the past few months. (She's all for it because she has always loved him, and both Ashley and Alexis have told us on separate occasions that when they're with the other person, all of the songs make sense) When Ashley sat down to talk to us, I knew that Ashley was getting at something really important, and Castle knew it, too, but poor Ashley was so nervous that Castle decided that he couldn't pass up the perfect opportunity to make the young man even more nervous by bombarding him with all kinds of questions and mentioning that _I_ had a gun. When I demanded to know what my gun had to do with anything, Ashley recounted his first meeting Castle and how he had been waving around a gun that he 'borrowed' from the precinct to study for the case that we had been working on. I ended up tweaking Castle's ear to make him behave, and he became very dismayed when Ashley thought it was funny. After Ashley actually laughed at Castle's pain and my smug look, he eventually got the question out that he had come to ask: did he have our blessing to propose to Alexis? We gave him our blessing right away and he practically fainted in relief. The last time I checked, Ashley was hard at work on thinking of the perfect occasion on which to pop the question to his girlfriend)

Little Tobias is an absolute delight, and he always makes everyone around him smile with his humorous antics. According to Castle, and from the baby pictures I've seen of Alexis, Tobias looks like his mother did when she was that age, except for the part about his hair. It was red when he was born, and since turned brown, and it's _very_ curly. When Alexis questioned her son's curly locks, Martha explained that that particular gene is from her side of the family because her dad had had very curly hair. As far as we know, Tobias is the first person to be born on the Castle side that has hair like that. Tobias' hair isn't the only interesting quirk about his appearance. There's his _eyes,_ too. A few hours after Tobias was born we saw an abnormality in his them. He isn't blind, thank God, but one of the hospital's eye surgeons diagnosed my grandson with partial heterchromia, meaning that his eyes are different colors. The left one is dark brown, almost black, but the right one is the trademark Castle blue with a splotch of hazel. (I have a feeling that since there is no previous history of partial heterchromia in the Rodgers or Castle families, this means that Tobias' father probably has it. After all this time, however, Alexis still hasn't told us who he is, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ashley, Calvin, Melissa and Jessica know who he is) Other than that, Tobias is a very normal and healthy one-year-old boy who knows that he is loved. Alexis and Ashley are both amused that my attempts to get their son interested in baseball have all failed, but they had the last laugh when Tobias turned down interest in Ashley's sport of choice, soccer. Alexis has plans on getting her son interested in fencing when he's older, but that might not work because he _loves_ the sound of piano and violin music. When Tobias isn't snooping around with Lily Joy and Jameson—his aunt and uncle, technically—he and Alexis are with Ashley on a daily basis, unless their schedules become conflicted. (Like Jameson, he is _very_ bright for a boy his age, and seems to be aware that his family life isn't exactly normal, but it's what he knows, so if he had his way, he wouldn't change a single thing) Tobias loves his parents dearly, but of the all of the biggest values that his parents have instilled on him thus far in his life, it's that friends are the family you choose. He's close with Lily Joy and Jameson because he sees them everyday, and he treats Lucy, Alyssa and Grace like sisters. He's close to the older kids, too, but out of all of them, he likes Gabriella best. One time, Gabriella explained—with a surprising amount of patience—that they both have issues with their eyes, and someway, somehow, Tobias made that connection. Gabriella may be four years older than him, but she's very patient and makes sure that nobody picks on him. Tobias and Gabriella are best friends now.

And of course, there's Lily Joy. She's come a long way from being the frightened little girl who hid under the piano and spent her first evening here cuddling with Alexis for comfort. There's no doubt in everyone's mind that even though we haven't seen or heard from Meredith in a year, my youngest daughter still remembers her life before she was adopted her because every so often, one of us will catch her looking out of one of the windows to the street below, with her stuffed animals under one arm and there will be a vacant expression on her face, as if she's remembering that time of her life. When we ask her what's wrong, Lily Joy will reassure us that she's fine and then promptly changes the subject or walks away. (She did reveal once that Meredith had hit her as a punishment for crying, so it makes us wonder exactly what kind of things she had gone through when she was living with her biological mother. I _know_ Lily Joy remembers, but I also know that she will never, _ever_ tell anyone about those experiences) When it comes to the matter of the abduction, she doesn't talk about it, leading us to think that she doesn't remember it…but everything is better that way. Lily Joy has also adapted the same stance on friendship that Tobias has because it's clear that she has a crush on Ezekiel, and that Gabriella is her sister-friend, like how Lanie is to me. And Moses? That poor little guy is always on the receiving end of Lily Joy's tricks and pranks. (Pranks taught to her by Melissa…) It's very clear that my youngest daughter still thinks that Alexis, Ashley, Melissa, Calvin, and now Jessica Rose are the coolest people in the whole world, and that she considers Ezekiel, Moses, and Gabriella as her best friends and equals, but she's also stayed true to her word when she said that she will love the little kids and look after them. Whenever all of the families get together for dinner or parties and whatnot, Jameson, Tobias, Lucy, Alyssa and Grace take to her like baby ducks walking in a row behind the mother duck. Lily Joy is aware that the little kids adore her just as much as she adores them, and the best part is that her heart is so overflowing with love for all five of them that she doesn't mind it when they follow her. (I won't deny that she learned how to love like that because I loved her first) A fascinating thing about who Lily Joy is as a person is that she has spent so much time around Spanish speakers that she actually speaks more Spanglish than she speaks English! I can understand her because I took Spanish around the same time I took French with Madison, and Alexis can keep up with her conversations because Melissa and Jessica also speak Spanglish regularly, but Martha and Castle are always lost. I love that Lily Joy is going to be able to grow up learning about different cultures firsthand, and one of the most obvious indicators that she's fully immersed in the Spanglish language is that while she refers to Martha as 'Gram' in English, and she automatically refers to Ophelia as her abuela, _and_ she is able to keep up in conversations with Ezekiel, Moses and Gabriella who all speak Spanglish as their first language. It does my heart good to see how far Lily Joy has come since the day we met, and it does my heart even _better_ to see that she is fully _healed_ now.

I still can't believe that there was a time in my life when I didn't even want kids because now… Now I can't imagine my life without mine.

One of the most exciting things about this year is that I was reunited with all three of the Queller sisters, as well as Jordan Shaw. Madison and I have rekindled our friendship, and we've become even closer now than we were back in high school. I've gotten the chance to know Emily well, seeing as she was only twelve or so before Madison and I lost track of each other. Melissa has improved in leaps and bounds like Lily Joy has, and her sisters tell me that if not for the love that Melissa was shown by Alexis and her posse, as well as myself, she wouldn't be the person that she is now. All three of the Queller sisters will _always_ remember Melissa's attack and the murders of their parents because it's impossible to forget such horrible events like that, but as siblings, they're on the road to healing, too. I've welcomed Jordan Shaw and her family into our family, and they eagerly accepted and after all this time, all five of them have found their own roles to play. (Rafferty's photography business is kept busy because Castle and Madison call on his services when they have publicity events, and the rest of us call on his services when we want family portraits done) Since Jordan has about ten years or more up on my friends and me, she respects the fact that I am the mother hen, but she has assumed the role of the older sister whole looks after her younger siblings. She is very open when it comes to talking about her life, but if anyone questions her about her past, we _will_ be stonewalled until the subject is dropped.

Jessica Rose and Gabriella are doing well, too. Both of them have been accepted into the families that my daughters have built with their friends. (It's interesting to note that that Jessica has struck up a friendship with Martha, like how Melissa struck one up with me. Those two make an odd pair of friends to regular passerby, but they make perfect sense to the rest of us because they have something in common: they both became single mothers in less than desirable circumstances, and they were both drifters during their pregnancies, with no real place to lay their heads at night) Lanie and Esposito have observed that despite the difficult lives the girls had together before finding their way home, they both settled into family life well, even though Jessica it took a little longer, and I have the distinct impression that that's because she's sitting on a lot of secrets like I know Alexis is…

Shortly after Jessica and Gabriella arrived and were settled in with Esposito, Lanie and baby Grace, Castle and I hosted a 'welcome home/welcome-to-the-family' party for them, in the spirit of the adoption party we'd had for Lily Joy. Both of the girls were spoiled rotten with rotten with presents, but everyone could tell that Jessica was ecstatic with one of the gifts from Castle and me: full sets of the Derek Storm and Nikki Heat books in _Braille._ It wasn't until later that Jessica had time to pull us aside and explain at length that she spent most of her life reading Castle's books, starting with the Derek Storm books when she was growing up in the group home, and then all of the Nikki Heat books to date when she and Gabriella were living in the area that they eventually escaped from. In short, Castle's books have the same affect on Jessica that they have on me: the books had saved her life and kept her from going into the rabbit hole and hiding there when her life got tough. Castle and I were deeply touched by her words, and I was in tears because it was the first time that I'd been able to hear from a fan about just how much the books had meant to them, and truth be told: I felt very humbled, and not just because Jessica Rose is the daughter of two of my best friends, but also because I was part of the experience this time, too.

There's the matter of the weddings, too. I can't forget to talk about those.

A couple of weeks after Jessica's and Gabriella's party, they took a vacation with their family and when they came back, it turned out that Lanie and Esposito had gotten married in secret, and had Jessica, Gabriella, and little Grace as their only witnesses. We didn't give them any grief for not telling us because after everything that Lanie and Esposito have gone through in their lives over the years, a secret wedding with just the minister and the girls in attendance was just perfect for them. I _did_ wonder for awhile why Lanie and Esposito skipped the engagement period, but Lanie seemed to be reading my mind about it because she told me that after three-and-a-half decades of friendship, they didn't find it necessary. I can respect that.

The surprise wedding was at the end of September, when Grace was three weeks old, and the wedding bug hit Castle and me, as well because we had a very long conversation one night about stetting the date for our own wedding because we didn't want to wait too long. We eventually settled on New Year's Eve Day. The ceremony and reception were both very nice, and nothing too over-the-top because Castle had already gone that route at his first two weddings, and I wouldn't have liked all the pomp and circumstance anyway, because low key has always been my style. As a surprise to our guests during the ceremony, the minister announced that I was going to adopt Alexis as my daughter, like how I adopted Lily Joy, and the adoption process was actually going to be part of the marriage ceremony. When the adoption was complete, Alexis quickly went back to her spot at the altar with her fellow bridesmaids—Lanie, Madison, Emily and Melissa. After Castle and I exchanged our vows and were pronounced husband and wife, the roar of cheers and thunderous applause in the sanctuary were almost deafening.

I have to say that my wedding day was one of the most memorable days of my life for obvious reasons and even though I missed my mom more than ever that day, there was one incident that made the day particularly memorable…

Apparently, Juliana's only son, Raja, had developed a _major_ little boy crush on Alexis by the end of their first meeting. Raja was _so_ taken with Alexis that he actually stole a bouquet of flowers from a vase on a dining table at the reception and presented them to her, asking if her if she would be his girlfriend, because in his opinion, she was the prettiest lady he ever saw in all of his six years of life. Everybody watching the scene was amused by his declaration of love, particularly Alexis. With Ashley, Calvin, Melissa and Jessica watching, Alexis turned Raja down gently, explaining that she already had Ashley, and that Ashley is Tobias' dad. Raja almost started crying at the rejection, but he managed to perk up when Alexis quickly consoled him with the promises that they could always be friends, and when she married Ashley, the little boy could be the one to carry the rings down the aisle. Alexis' words obviously sat well with Raja because he accepted them and moved onto the next person: Lily Joy. Raja asked her the same question he asked Alexis, but didn't get an answer because the now four-year-old Ezekiel heard the six-year-old's proposition and got angry. Ezekiel all but beat Raja back with a stick, squawking at him to find someone his own age because he had loved Lily Joy first, _and_ that he was no good for her because he didn't even have any dinosaur toys. Before Juliana, Madison or I could intervene to keep Ezekiel from killing Raja in the name of defending Lily Joy's honor, one of Jordan's twin daughters—Jubilation—happened to wander by at that particular moment. Raja immediately got distracted by the other six-year-old and dashed after Jubilation, calling after her to wait up.

(The rest, as they say, is history)

This whole past year has been filled with lots of triumphs and tragedies, along with lots of new experiences and reunions, some of which were unexpected (but not unwelcome). But in the end, I wouldn't trade any of it for anything because I wouldn't be who I am now if none of it had ever happened, and I don't _ever_ want to be that person again.

(The best is yet to come, I think…)

It's been a year since we met Lily Joy, and one year since I discovered what it's like to be able to come home to a loving family every night.

And now, here I am, dressed in my pajamas and waiting for Castle to come to bed with me so I can _finally _share a particular piece of information with him without any interruptions from Alexis, Lily Joy, Jameson and/or Tobias.

See, Castle and I found out a few weeks ago that after a few rounds of trying, that we're going to be parents again! We're delirious joy about it, but we're keeping it to ourselves for now.

What I found out today—the day before Lily Joy's fifth birthday—is that we have even _more_ reason to celebrate than we already did. I've wanted to tell Castle all day, but didn't have a chance to because we were occupied with hosting a combined birthday party for Jameson, Tobias, Lucy, Alyssa and Grace. Bedtime has been the first time all day that we've had a proper chance to be alone.

It all just begs a question.

How do I tell my husband that we're having twins?

_Done_

**FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Well, that's the end of this story, and I can't begin to explain just how much fun it was to write this :) I have one last thing to say, but hang out with me because I believe that acknowledgements and the last gold star distribution are in order. Special shout out to castlelover100 for having the 310th review! 310 gold stars to you! Special thanks to Celeste and Ellkat for staying up late with me one night to develop the character of Lily Joy, who would eventually turn out to be my favorite character that I've ever written, and after having written stories for nearly eight years, that's really saying something! More thanks to Baby Bird, Pixie, Double A, The Foreigner, Einav and Krista for always cheering me on and giving me lots of ideas. (By the way, Baby Bird: I _love_ writing Jessica Rose and Gabriella as much as I love writing Lily Joy) For Bella Paige, phnxgrl, zats, madd09, tillersaurous, Ninangel567 and cookme25: all of your reviews always cheered me up, and some of them even gave me ideas ;) To Schatze8210, katherine temperance, Dramaqueen54, and kazorel: welcome to the family, because that's what all of you reviewers are, and according to ConstanceContraire-CASTLE, I am now 'Mama Alex.' I like the sound of that… Hmm… ;) Last, but certainly not least: lots and lots of love, gold stars, sparkles and fairy dust to Writer200 for asking at the end of the very first chapter what was going to happen next. I wouldn't have written 49 more chapters if you hadn't asked me ;) And to _all_ of my readers: if you're reading these words, then I am quite pleased to announce that that there _is_ a sequel in the works, and the title is _This Crazy Thing Called Family._ (See, Pixie? It's not the end of the world after all) I promise that the first chapter will be up soon ;)


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